Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 15, 1966, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg Frie press Friday july 15, 1966 metro s master downtown College., metro s master development plan Calls for a downtown University and a centrally located Junior or Community col lege. The University to be developed As an expansion of United College has been recommended As part of a policy statement contained in the plan. Proximity to the Hub of the metro transportation system and to a wide Range of temporary living accommodation makes downtown an Ideal location for a wide Range located Junior College to serve the entire metro area is planned to Bridge the Gap Between the full academic program of a University and the local High school curriculum. Valuable complement the plan claims that establishment of higher education is downtown because there Are certain subjects that Benefit from being taught in an Urban environment. Close proximity to the Active wide rang of programs for adult education Iris of the Urban Centre can pro and says the i vide a valuable complement to the academic program Partick master plan the proposed centrally to limit fringe growth adoption of metro s grand design for greater Winnipeg will mean limiting the outward growth of Suburbia for the next 20 years. To prevent Semi Urban fringe development the master development plan outlines the areas where no Urban expansion would be desired and recommends zoning them for agricultural uses Only. Metro has planning jurisdiction Over an area known As the additional zone. This extends some five Miles beyond the boundaries of greater Winnipeg. The major part of this area will continue in open land use. This includes farming Market gardening land used for Public and private recreational serv ices and airfields. Some of the land will be used for metro Parks. The plan allows for limited expansion in the Village communities in the additional zone. Expansion of places like heading Ley Kosser and Oak stuff will tie planned with the future possibility of some limited fora of local servicing is mind. These limited services such a As water and possibly sewer systems would not be Exten Sions of the metro system but would be similar to systems developed by other Small communities in Rural Manitoba. Some parts of the metro area proper where no Urban expansion is foreseen will be treated in the same manner. The plan notes that some problems May be raised in this area by landowners but it claims that in areas where planning control has been established to safeguard the interests of the Community the owner s rights Are restricted. There is no right to use land for Urban purposes in those areas where planning considerations based on the interests of the whole Community indicate that Urban development should not take metro s planners say the basis for the measure restricting Urban expansion is to further the principle of a compact economically serviced u r b a to Early in the disciplines concerned with human reads a Section of the plan. An establishment for higher education can also make a useful contribution to the True Ture of the Urban Centre by adding to its diversity and interest the plan continues. Urban context it can be designed for an Urban context and can provide for example Small but significant protected Urban spaces. It could also serve As a demonstration of new design techniques for build Ings in a contemporary metro s interest in higher education is based on the responsibility for ensuring that these activities Are located on Sites of adequate size and in locations that Are accessible to the whole of the metro area. The master plan proposes to indicate the locations for the educational establishments in the detailed development plan for downtown particularly when Urban renewal schemes Are being developed. M roads Bridges envisaged in report a Multi million Dollar investment in transportation including several new major roads and eight new Bridges is envisaged in metro s master develop ment plan. A typical downtown Street with vehicle priority and no pedestrian shelter More about 20-year plan unwrapped effect a statement of what is to be done once the plan is adopted. People expected by 86 metro Winnipeg s population has grown each year since 1961 by about people and is expected to reach by 1986, according to the first draft of metro s master development plan. Calculated from figures obtained from the Domin Ion Bureau of statistics and the annual enumeration carried out by metro s assessment division the develop ment plan claims there has been a two per cent yearly increase in population since 1961, in 1901, greater Winnipeg contained people. During 1961, there were on the basis of this revised estimate of Popula Tion it is probable that the labor Force in 1986, including those in part time employment will reach says the master plan which is based in part on the projected population estimates. Fort Garry St. Boniface Transcona and St. Vital Are expected to experience the largest numerical in crease of the area by 1986. Metro planners estimate they Are Likely to have More people in the next 20 years. The municipalities Assiniboia Charles Wood North Kildonan old Kildonan and Tuxedo Are expected to have five times their present population by 1986. On the basis of current trends metro reckons that the population growth of the cities of Winnipeg St. James East Kildonan and West Kildonan will be limited by the amount of land available for residential development and redevelopment. Relatively Little increase is anticipated in the municipalities surrounding the area administered by metro and forming what the metro act Calls the additional zone continued from Page one metro planning director s. George Rich and councillor j a. Coulter planning committee chairman feel the plan Marks a new departure in Urban development. It contains the seeds of a revolution in planning be cause it provides for the first time an integrated look at the Basic form of the entire metropolitan area. The Points itself says Community will change text this of the plan out when it with or without a plan and it is our conviction that with a plan the changes will be made with greater understanding of their effect on the whole coif Unity. With a plan there is far greater Assurance that we shall realize our Basic objectives the amenities that Are essential to or desirable for the Well being of the downtown plans in line yith this thinking great emphasis has been placed on planning from a human Point of View. Typical of this attitude is the separate treatment that has been accorded downtown the Central Core of greater Winnipeg. The plan Calls for More Parks closed pedestrian malls sidewalk cafes Down town schools priority of pedestrian movement More efficient and convenient transportation sys tem and renovation of some lanes. A technical study of downtown has been prepared to serve As an inventory of existing conditions and the plan urges that a More detailed plan dealing with a new face for the Central Core be prepared and implemented through metro s plan Ning Powers and by a new development corporation which would be created. Although the Central area and development of a concept in the Central areas of the satellite municipalities Are stressed the plan touches Al most every aspect of. Community life. It includes everything from establishment of a policy to contain Urban sprawl to recommendations that would upgrade water Supply and waste disposal systems. In a Broad outline of greater Winnipeg s total transportation needs during the next 2q to 25 years metro planners have roughly mapped the tentative route of the first stage of metro s transportation program. The map shows three new roads slicing through the Northern half of greater Winnipeg two More passing through greater Winnipeg South of the Assiniboine River and two major North South routes it gives a general idea of where the suburban Beltway or inner perimeter will go. In Addi t i o n six new Bridges Over the red River and two new Bridges across the Assiniboine Are sketched on the development plan map. The rough plans Are included in a Section dealing with every aspect of transportation in greater Public Tran sit pedestrian systems air and rail facilities and underground and overhead distribution sys tems. The future major thorough fare system illustrated is in tended to improve existing metro streets by ensuring that their function carrying traffic i is give the highest practical priority. Second stage the second stage of. The transportation program which is not completely shown will be concentrated in the built up part of the Community particularly in the Central area. Once the Winnipeg area transportation study has been Speed bus transit system which would have some of the characteristics of a True rapid transit system. Metro has made it Clear in the mister plan that it regards the establishment of this Type of bus service As the forerunner of a rapid transit setup for greater Winnipeg. It May be some years before this Community Caa support a True rapid transit system but in the meantime High Speed bus transit can be provided using the part of the right of Way that will be needed eventually for rapid the plan says. The often forgotten pedestrian also is due for better treatment if the master development plan is adopted by metro Council. In places where pedestrian traffic is known to be congested proposes three ways of separating pedestrians from vehicles. Either the cars and trucks Are provided with be Low the surface while the pedestrian is free to roam at will of top or vice versa of through staggered hours vehicular movement on the Street is certain hours. To straighten out the prob lems caused by the railways the plan recommends that an investigation into the possibility of a terminal railway system be launched. Signs boards would be gone the policy plan that also recommends would create a unified greater Winnipeg Industrial development Agency adequately staffed and financed. Metro planners urge Start ing a Campaign to attract Basic Industry arid scientific and technological research organizations. If approved implementation of the plan will be achieved by. Observing the policies when metro develops services and works within its jurisdiction. By Laid a tool it also will observe them when it enacts regulating by Laws which would establish standards and administrative methods for matters related to Urban growth. For example the new zoning bylaw expected to incorporate policies stated a the plan is a tool to exercise specific controls Over land use. The other method of implementation will be through the decisions of other Public and private agencies. In setting its own objectives metro will influence the objectives and policies of these other agencies. Metro s planners claim the plan will be changed from time to time to coincide with any unforeseen trends or any experience which proves the plan wrong. The plan deals with the Hopes and desires of the introduction reads. Its. Ultimate influence there fore Wilt depend not Only upon its legislative status but also upon the acceptance of its objectives by people As i Divi As officers of government and As executives of private completed by metro the second stage of transportation program will be incorporated into a revised master plan. And since the second stage will involve routes through areas slated for Urban renewal the plan salts for More assist Ance from senior governments. It asks that renewal of the transportation system be regarded As an essential part of the total Urban renewal process. Many of these new High Speed routes designed to give maximum priority to moving traffic will also accommodate a High metro s master development plan takes a Potshot at the proliferation of signs and Bill boards a greater Winnipeg and if approved will do away with most of them. The plan proposes a five Point policy that would o permit no further project ing and overhanging identification and advertising signs. Require the removal of existing ones within the next five years. Limit billboards by prohibiting them in agricultural and residential areas. Outlaw billboards d o w n town except when they form identification i or Point of Sale signs and in these Circum stances their size design and location would be subject to control. Permit billboards in some general service areas and working areas but size design and location would be subject to control. It is said that billboards make an important contribution to the Economy of the Community our study indicates thai the most which can be said for hem is that their contribution o Gross sales is nebulous and the master plan intends in a Section on Urban design. Their presence is Able in a Community which is aspiring to a High Standard of Urban design particularly As they provide a form of Adver Ising which cannot be turned the plan dismisses arguments advanced to support the contribution made by billboards a Urban areas and Only reluctant y makes some provision for item because businesses and employment Are founded on Oleir construction and maintenance. It also maintains that Many of the existing signs on Winni Peg streets Are self defeating because they announce their presence the last paragraph of the Section says in establishing policies and objectives govern ing signs the corporation metro acknowledges that these will apply also to the signs which the corporation Mimi Iii vertical separation of pedestrian and vehicles a glimpse into future typical downtown Lane convert Iii to enclosed mall a glimpse of the Suburbia of the future involving a totally new concept in residential life is Given by metro s master development plan. In a Section that indicates where future development and redevelopment o f residential areas will take place the plan introduces and As yet untried idea for the arrange ment of suburban growth so that new communities can grow up around their own local centres. Known As the town the concept is an attempt to take All of the service buildings whih Are usually scattered through oat residential communities and group them u provide local centres far sprawling communities. Intended to be much More than a shopping Centre the proposed town Centre will pro vide for All the Day to Day recreational educational com Mercial and spiritual needs of the suburban residents. The master plan claims that the idea will provide a new basis for the design of residential areas. It can provide them with a readily identified Centre around which the residential accommodation can be built. The highest density areas containing mostly couples single people and older people would be closest to the Centre and the lowest density areas containing primarily families with children would be farther noting that a town Centre will take a period of years to build the plan proposes the Active participation of local authorities in one or More of three ways reservation of land owned by the municipality. Acquisition and reservation of land by metro. Reservation of land by a Developer with a pre arranged local tax agreement. Jew identity although to Cora Mavity has yet adopted the concept metro s planners fed the result of program to scour to of town centres be a new face a new staff lev and a new identity for our the master plan also recommends a number of other measures to make life More pleasant in the suburbs including establishment of a bylaw of adequate metropolitan stand Ards for the subdivision of land including the standards for the provision of open space. Development of a method for securing Park and school Sites and Assumption of responsibility for the allocation of land for Parks and school dedicated in the process of subdivision. Zoning of All Public Park Sites with a special classification limiting the Sites to this use ;