Weeds in Grate

Where a tree no longer grows, there are weeds.

Newspaper Boxes

Some people just need their own newspaper boxes.

Departure Not Discouraging

Well, after reading the March 19 post of West End Dumplings where the manager says disparaging things about the West End, I'm not surprised to see this:

Yes, J.S. Furniture is attempting to sell their building. I doubt they are going to sell their warehouse down the alley (which is very inexpensive for them to keep).

I never went into JS Furniture; the storefront wasn't inviting and they didn't look like they had anything I wanted. I suppose the store is slightly better than a pawn shop?

Go ahead, JS, leave the neighbourhood, we won't miss you.

Questionable Renovations and Flow

The University of Winnipeg renovated a theatre on the edge of their campus. The entry on Memorial was deemed insufficient and has been closed up. Instead, they offer a long ramp off a side entrance. 

If there is a lineup down this ramp, a person in a wheelchair could have difficulties (breaking and pushing on an incline doesn't sound easy to me). And this doesn't seem like it will be easy to leave in case of emergencies.

At least there's bike parking. And preventing entry from Memorial, where there is not a safe drop off spot (traffic flows quickly by this area), may have been a smart move. But I have yet to be convinced that this new entrance is sufficient.

I also want to show the nearby door for the main buildings of UofW.

No Entry. And I didn't take a photo of the middle of the block where there is a lovely chain-link fence. 

So don't think about going to the the main campus buildings from the theatre!

An idea

From Velorution, a proposed planning target:

“Make any three kilometre cycling journey in the city safe for a nine year old to ride by him/herself.”

Link includes a short video about Copenhagen, and what we can learn from the Danish experience.

Thanks to reader Chris H. for the post suggestion.

Imagine

Concept by One Green City.

Not Getting There 1

The signs say, "No entry Except buses and Cyclists"

However, it is difficult to figure out where the bike path is. There is a large pile of snow straight ahead and walking tracks around the left and right. But there isn't really a bike path. If I want to go down Spence on a bicycle, I have to off road it around the piles of snow and onto the sidewalk, mixing with pedestrians and getting stuck in ruts.

I wrote this post back in the winter, when you could see the painted bike lane. While the snow has melted and you can see the paint now, I still think this is a valid critique.

Know how to turn lights off

Or wire lights so that the whole floor doesn't have to be lit when one person is working.

How's that for big ideas?

This building is one of the biggest offenders with lights on all night.

Please IG, turn off the lights!

Today did not seem like a good day to ride the bike - rain in February can make things a touch on the slippery side. Walking, although wet, was a great way to take in the city, when you walk you can even lend a hand to a motorist who gets stuck in the icy conditions. Walking in Winnipeg is nice.

Cycling with snow and trees

Paths in beautiful spots for bicycles; trees; scenic reflections.

A sense of humour

The Next Winnipeg will definitely have a sense of humour.

The lovely kiosk (is that the word?) is just one of several in a neighbour's front yard. All of them are handmade and obviously the product of considerable thought. Neat.

Walk don't park.

Submitted by TNW reader Dalila. Check out her beautiful Winnipeg photography here.

planning

The planning of major traffic projects is always in the works, what is hopeful is the opinion and visions of commuters who chose not to use cars is being sought in this process. It is too bad that it is has taken this long to take into consideration these opinions and visions, but at least we're moving in that direction.

Get well soon, Toni

Don't Do It

But what does it mean?

(Warm) Heart of the Continent

This Bird Has Flown

The Orioles Bike Cage will empower and improve the community by sharing knowledge of bike repair, by providing access to bike repair tools, by encouraging reuse of materials and by providing an open space where money is not a barrier to bicycle ownership.

At least that's a draft description of the mission of this new community-owned bike repair/reuse/recycling station (modelled loosely on the Bike Dump, for those who might be familiar with that collective). The Bike Cage, at the Orioles site of Valour Community Club (444 St. Matthews @ Burnell) is slated to open this spring.

A look at the space (currently being used for storage) reveals why it is called a bike cage. Visit the Google group linked above for up-to-date information, including how you can get involved/learn skills/use tools.

To build a home

Questions pondered while staring at the bottom of the Maryland Bridge:

1. How many mosquitoes can a swallow eat in 1 hour?

2. Are there negative impacts of swallow nests on concrete infrastructure?

3. Should bridges in the next Winnipeg have, as a design feature, articulated bottom profiles that provide swallow habitat?

Multimodal

Oh yes, the Next Winnipeg will be all about multi-modal opportunities: park and ride, bike and bus, maybe even bike and skate.

This cute blue bike was parked at an access point to the river skating trail. Turns out the owner stopped for a skate on her way home from work (which happens to involve the bike, too, as she's a bike courier).

One is all you need

It's Magic

Despite the relative emptiness of one of these photos (I couldn't resist the clouds), I have been surprised at how many people are using the Assiniboine River skate/walking trail as their commuting route. Additionally it is interesting how few people are now choosing the perfectly servicable riverwalk (year-round trail beside the river). Why is this? Perhaps because there is something magical, unique and peaceful about being on the actual river. Some recent research shows that when it comes to active transportation infrastructure, if you build it they will come. The other photo is of someone I met commuting home from downtown via the river. David, a Winnipeg architect, walks almost 90 minutes each way to and from work, 5 days a week, year round. He cites mental and physical health as his most important motivators for choosing active transportation.

Moments before I snapped this early morning photo, I was passed by a car with a bumper sticker that asked "Who's your farmer?" I wasn't quick enough to get a shot of the sticker, but I did capture a colourful trio of garden containers waiting for spring. And if this gardener (small-scale urban farmer?) is growing food, it's a nice example of an easy way to get involved in the food system.

During the growing season, one can imagine this little greenspace to be a welcoming detail at the front of this house.

Almost assuredly, the Next Winnipeg will be polite.

Optimistically, there will be so few cars that parkades will have to court customers with polite sales pitches.

Cynically, there will be so much free surface parking (or so few reasons to go downtown) that parkades will have to court customers with polite sales pitches.