Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeggers and visitors to our city alike can now fully enjoy many improvements made in recent years to the Northeast Exchange District. A multi-year renewal program has breathed new life into this historic part of Winnipeg east of Main Street with extensive improvements made to Elgin Avenue, Market Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Bertha Street, Rorie Street, Lily Street and John Hirsch Place.
“Our government is proud to support investments in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District and beautiful river front,” said Scott Johnston, MLA for St. James on behalf of Indigenous and Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke. “By working together with the City of Winnipeg we are creating a more vibrant and economically sustainable downtown community.”
“It’s fantastic to see revitalization in the Northeast Exchange District coming to fruition,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “We are building a downtown that people want to come to and these improvements will help make it a more inviting place to be.”
Since 2012, a comprehensive retro-fit of the area has been underway using innovative and environmentally sustainable designs that reflect local history. Approximately $14 million of improvements include:
- underground and road infrastructure renewals with integrated art and heritage components,
- enhancing the pedestrian realm with wider sidewalks incorporating about 130 new trees and new streetscaping,
- enhanced pedestrian lighting for increased security, and
- an innovative drainage design pilot for John Hirsch Place that provides greater soil volume for tree roots and captures rainwater to irrigate trees while reducing the burden on the City’s combined sewers.
“These infrastructure investments by the City and Province are creating safe, attractive, and desirable neighbourhoods downtown" said CentreVenture CEO Angela Mathieson. “They are an important foundation toward achieving our goal of growing the downtown residential population to 20,000 people in the next few years.”
A collaborative effort between the City of Winnipeg and CentreVenture, with funding contributions by the Province of Manitoba through the Exchange Waterfront Neighbourhood Development Program, these improvements create an exciting new vibe in the Northeast Exchange District with long-lasting benefits for the community.