The Ikea open house was this afternoon, and like Graham I wasn't able to make it, but I did see a picture of the proposed layout in the Free Press today. Unfortunately it's not on their web site yet, but this description is:
To make the project happen, Fairweather will spend $26.5 million to widen Kenaston, Sterling Lyon and Shaftesbury Boulevard and install three new sets of traffic lights. The city and province will eventually pay all but $4.5 million of these costs back.Major Sammy so excited about Ikea coming that he's willing to foot 85% of the bill for the infrastructure upgrades. He is excited because Ikea is a big city thing, and Sammy wants to be a big city major. Rapid trasit is also a big city thing, and we've got that coming soon too. All these big city things makes Sammy feel good.
However, as it turns out, our big city pants are really small town diapers with pictures of freeways printed on them. A big city would build an LRT line or subway instead of a glorified bus route. Likewise, a big city would build proper infrastructure for a 1.5 million sq ft commercial development. Here in Winnipeg we throw up a few traffic lights and call it a day.
I like Ikea, but this development is going to be like Kildonan Crossing, which I avoid like the plague because it's impossible to get out of. We should rename it Hotel California.
So why do we cheap out on everything? Are we forcing this big city thing to much? Do we really need rapid tranist, and would Ikea really stay away if we forced the developer to go halfers on an overpass? Would it help if the city collected a little more revenue? Is this because property taxes have been frozen for eight years? 'Cause if it is, maybe we should think about raising them, rather than causing permanent damage to the design of the city.
4 comments:
I'm good, its got free parking.
Gotta be happy or you'll be labeled anti Winnipeg.
Ya, parking ... parking is fine, but the layout of the north part of the development looks like a bunch of croutons floating in a bowl of soup. I might take a crack at that next post.
Permanent damage to the design of the City.....haha, who you kidding, this City is a tilted disaster as it is, can't make it any worse.
But.
BRT - nope - don't need it
Raising taxes - nope - they take too much as it is. look for a better funding arrangement with province and feds, leave my pockets alone.
Big City thing - give it a rest already. I'm sick of the banners.
Force Developer - you can try but be prepared when they pull up stakes.
Ikea- wouldn't be bending over too much to appease them. After all its junk , its not made here, plenty of space to build elsewhere in the City which would cost less for taxpayers.
My opinion - who cares, build it already , it'll suck , but thats par for the course in this town.
But keep smiling and take out the pompoms.
"and install three new sets of traffic lights."
Well we are the largest city north of the Rio Grande without an expressway!
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