Investors Group Field: A Problem with NO Solution unless...

Investors Group Field, Southwood Gold Club just north

There is no solution for the logistical nightmare of Investors Group Field.

Blame the federal Conservative Party of Canada and the Stephen Harper government and particularly Vic Toews and Rod Bruinooge for this. When the predominantly female crowd at the Taylor Swift concert this Saturday have one very bad day getting to the venue...the heat will really rise.

Lost in all the recriminations is the fact that it was Vic Toews who rejected all other sites for the stadium in exchange for the $15 million federal dollars. The argument was he could justify it for university sports but not a CFL team. Of course it had nothing to do with it being a Conservative riding they were hoping to hold in the next election.

Anyway, let's set aside that for now. Stadium is built. By all accounts the building was accepted by fans if they actually got into it.

At the moment, there seems no way to alleviate impending doom of concerts, Friday games, university in the fall and carmageddon.

The screams will only get louder.

In short:

* It will take a lot of buses for the city to serve concert and football games. They need a clear route through for park and ride to the stadium and then out again.

* Bikes are a new aspect of concert and football attendance. They too need clear routes and enough stands to park. Even at the best of times they can be congested as it will probably take several minutes for a bike to be locked and unlocked and a group of people to enter and exit the site. Still, not a bad day if you have time and space. However, it won't be popular in snow in October or November.

* Walking. A mainstay of the old stadium. People used to park across the river and walk 30 minutes to Polo Park. People used to park in the industrial areas, the West End...all over for Canad Inn Stadium. The ability to park in neigbourhoods is limited in Fort Garry. There will be spots along Pembina. Some will become the favourites for fans. But you have to know where they are, how to get to them, be able to get to them and then have a clear way to walk to the stadium.

Bomber management and the city are left now to deal with the federal decision on the location and the provincial decision to fund that location at all costs.

It seems unlikely a solution can be found because the bottlenecks are almost too numerous to count.

As many have said, what is needed is a lot of parking nearby. 5000 spots that spread out over campus and a few thousand more spread out along Pembina are still too few.

I know University of Manitoba is loath to do but here is the solution:

Turn the entire Southwood Golf Club between Markham Road and Snow Street and University Crescent into a gravel parking lot beside the Investor's Group Field.

It is no secret that Markham Road has long been used by Victoria Hospital employees and University of Manitoba student to avoid paying for parking. Don't believe me. Look:

Markham at University Crescent...Student heaven

Markham cuts right through the old golf course.

The city and province already favour this route or something along this line as a transit corridor to the university. It is forecast that $18 million will be spent. I think that is lowballing it since major work needs to be done on Pembina to make it an effective rapid transit route. Nevertheless, the road is there now. How hard to run buses down and have a path to the stadium?

Oh my...stadium off Markham...so close

Markham is already a parking lot.

Cars, cars, car as far as the eye can see on Markham

Should not the golf course between Markham and the stadium be at at least considered for temporary parking?

Look at at all that space

Look at all those cars

It seems the province and city should work together, promise the University of Manitoba other logistical solutions regarding the transit corridor will be worked on but in the mean time: Pave that golf course! Or at the very least put gravel on it.

My personal bet is that you could put thousands of cars there and runs hundreds of buses down Markham.

I realize many people might not like this idea and the University probably fears the permanence of it. It need not be that way.

I still think at some point there will be parkades across from the stadium with overpass or underpasses.

Parkade me, please!

No doubt this could serve university interests and Bomber interests but the price tag for parkades on those two lots are probably a shade under $100 million.

It is going to be hard to stick to your guns on not using the golf course when disaster repeats itself over and over.

Well, there you have it. A solution. It has its own problems but one thing is certain: The Southwood Golf Course will be developed. Why not create this temporary measure on unused property now.

Canada Safeway Sold to Sobey's

To certain, it looked like something had to change with so many food retailers crowding into the market. It will be Canada Safeway that retreats back across the border with its tail between its legs and $6 billion in its pockets with Sobey's grabbing up all their stores and concerns.

Winnipeg has a long history in Winnipeg as city was the headquarters starting from 1928. Eventually, executive offices moved to Calgary although Winnipeg continues to have as many as 40 back office people based around their Waverley offices. The old Pacific offices have long since been vacated.

I am uncertain when head office functions moved west but the 1980s were unkind to Winnipeg with recession and bruising company closures. This is when Read Canadian Superstore's WestFair Foods noisily exited decrying the NDP's payroll tax. I think Safeway slowly followed suit.

It is uncertain what will happen to office staff given that Sobey's will look to end redundancies. This is more likely to have a huge impact where Calgary has close to 600 head office staff now. The 40 staff in Winnipeg may have a better chance as back office functions for the west might best continue in a less expensive city than Calgary.

The very large distribution center of Safeway set up in 1962 and with about 80 employees is part of the sale to Sobey's. It is difficult to say what will happen there as Sobey's as massive 350,000 square foot warehouse on Inkster. However, a lot of the recent expansion there has been to supply Target with food product.

There are 10 Sobey's in Winnipeg, a Cash and Carry and other associated stores of the company. Safeway has 20+ stores. There is going to be some cross over.

Do we see store merged? Do we see some sold? Do we see some go under a new banner and marketed differently? What about Airmiles and Safeway cards? So many questions.

Safeway has been part of people's lives here for a very long time. It is not hard to see they have been struggling though and there have been pressures on staff along the way. Those pressures are likely to continue.

Sobey's has a pretty good reputation and is a Canadian owned company. Perhaps a sign of good things to come.

Scheels Superstore to Open in Columbia Mall Grand Forks

Scheels Sports

It isn't new news for those in Grand Forks, North Dakota but it might not be known by Winnipeg people who go to Columbia Mall in the U.S. The announcement really was made in 2011 and it was about the disposition of the old Target store at Columbia.

The old Target closed in 2001 in favour of the SuperTarget across the street on 32nd Avenue South. And thereafter, it has sat empty. The four screen movie theatre and Office Depot were also shut and that side of the mall became a sad reminder of how vital that area had been.

It is very likely has Columbia Mall known how long it would take to replace Target's old location, they might have though about placing Sears there instead. The mall built a new Sears in 2000 when the old location at the South Forks Plaza closed.

Columbia has been a favourite of Canadians since 1978 when it opened. However, the closure of the Target was a major hit. Not even the the 2005 renovation that added a 430 seat food court was enough to undo the fact that one part of the mall ended in a dead end.

For more and more people, the trip farther south to Fargo and then again to Albertville and Minneapolis too. For many people, West Acres in Fargo and the surrounding retail area has been sufficient attraction for many people to bypass Grand Forks.

Despite the attractions of a Super Walmart and a SuperTarget as well as the Grand Forks Marketplace across the street from Columbia Mall that has Kohl's,  Best Buy, Lowe's Home Improvement, Ashely Furniture, Gorman's and Old Navy ... it still didn't match the heyday when Grand Forks was the destination to go for Winnipeg shoppers.

Well, the days of the empty and blocked off Target store will be coming to an end next year. In 2014, Scheel's Sports will be opening a 120,000 square foot location at Columbia. It will coincide with the closure coming at the end of their lease at their Columbia Road location across from the hospital.

The giant location of Scheels won't be the same size as Fargo's world beater 200,000 square foot  and two floor colossus but it will very big and roughly double the employees. It won't have a Ferris wheel but it is likely to have the shooting simulators plus a large selection of stock.

The arrival of Scheels's will likely kickstart the mall a great deal. Interest by movie theatre companies and other retailers will be piqued.

And a revived Columbia Mall will make more Winnipeg travellers south stick.

Now...I wonder if we can ever get Scheel's here in Winnipeg. We get excited about a 17,000 square foot sports retailer opening up. Imagine something as big as a Scheel's.

River City Sports set to Open Seasons of Tuxedo

River City Sport to locate in sport marked "grocery"

The signage is up for the three newest tenants of Seasons of Tuxedo. Structube, Fat Burger and now River City Sports have their signs up and work looks to be continuing in all.

It was reported back a few weeks ago that River City Sports was going to open a superstore at Seasons of Tuxedo and this is a very large store they are opening.  The store will be 17,000 square feet which is a substantial jump from the 3,500 square feet at their St. James Polo Park location.

River City Sports has been around since 1991 as a Winnipeg institution but it is spreading west in much the same way as old Athlete's Wear of Winnipeg once did.

A very large sports store supercenter is probably the only defence against some of the larger built stores that from Dick's and Scheel's that are opening in cities throughout the States. More on that in a post tomorrow.

McNally Robinson ensured its success when it opened a large format bookstore in Grant Park Mall.

The building of a fair sized River City Sports in Seasons of Tuxedo leaves only a few spaces in the present buildings waiting for a tenant.

The landscaping continues in the lots surrounding IKEA and Cabela's. Piles are being put down for a new building to go up. Still no obvious signs of work being done to the new Lowe's Home Improvement store.

Stay tuned for more news.

What is the Best Hotel in Winnipeg?

Fairmont Winnipeg

What is the best hotel in Winnipeg?

This is not an easy question. Every person has different needs based on price, location, amenities and personal preferences.

For example, visiting NHL teams stay at The Fairmont Hotel at Portage and Main. Why? Because it is close to the MTS Centre, offers secure floors for the teams so they have no chance of someone seeking them out and pounding on the door, is luxurious with rooms big enough for guys who might have legs sticking out the end of the bed and where a variety of food options exist.

The Fairmont does indeed do it up nicely inside and meets the classification as business hotel for the downtown. It has hosted royalty and travelling executives for years and has been one of the top hotels in the city for decades.

However, what if we are not visiting royalty or a businesses executive? What if we are coming for a Bon Jovi concert, don't have the kids and are here for a one nighter and would like downtown with maybe free parking?

This is a reason why some people book a night at Humphrey Inn on Main Street in the downtown. The proximity to the the MTS Centre, free parking, good rooms and service, free breakfast and wi-fi have attracted notice for people who might come in a few times a year for events such as concerts and games.

Sometimes people are looking for a unique or iconic experience in their hotel visit. In this case, you often hear Winnipeggers have a staycation at the Marriagi Theme Suites Hotel, the Fort Garry or the Inn at the Forks. Not surprisingly, all three have local owners and operators.

Inn at the Forks

Likewise, when people want a local hotel for a wedding. spa, staff parties or business meetings certain places always rise to the top such as The Fort Garry, Clarion, Inn at the Forks and Viscount Court not to mention some hotels chosen for their geographic locations such as Holiday Inn - Winnipeg South or Norwood Hotel.

Families in Winnipeg or coming in from out of town with a desperate need of a pool for the kids often stay at any of the Canad Inns scattered throughout the city.

The success of the Canad Inns can be succinctly defined as "cover your bases". And what are those bases? They are: regional representation across the city and province. Pools and pools good for families. Entertainment and restaurants that include bars, VLT lounges and dinner theatre. And lastly beer vendors.

Canad Inns Fort Garry

Has it worked for Canad Inns? Well, they are the biggest hotel group in the province. Think that speaks for itself.

The airport has had a flurry of hotel construction. If there has been one area that has carved out the niche of hotel district, it is this area. And since Polo Park is so close, we are seeing hotels kind of straddle the two destinations.

In the last decade or so, we have seen the construction of many hotels in the airport Polo Park area. Some are geared more to Polo Park, some to the airport, some to both. Those hotels include Greenwood Inns and Suites, Sandman Hotel,  Mainstay Suites and very new arrivals the Holiday Inn - Airport Polo Park replacing the dreadful hotel that once existed there.

The airport itself has Four Points by Sheraton and will be joined shortly by two others. Very near Polo Park we have seen Fairfield Inn and Suites go up and it will be joined by another hotel soon.

Fairfield Inn and Suites Polo Park

So what is the best hotel in Winnipeg? I don't know it is easy to answer. Price and room amenities could be anything that is important to you. A family might have no interest in the Fairmont Hotel because it has no waterslides or major mall next door. A businessman might not be interested in Canad Inns Fort Garry as he has to be downtown for a week of business seminars.

As we have seen this burst of new construction of hotels, we have seen a few retiring such as York, the Hotel (Sheraton) and Place Louis Riel gearing down. Other have faced the wrecking ball downtown and elsewhere. There is a good bet we might see a few other hotels shut down for political or business reasons.

As mentioned, Winnipeg doesn't have a motel district per se such as Grand Forks with their selection of motels adjacent to Columbia Mall. We never seem to plan these things out in Winnipeg. There used to be a number of motels stretching down Pembina Highway but they were hemmed in by the rail line and neighbourhoods of Foot Garry and Fort Richmond. Today, the remaining hotels are stretched from the Perimeter Highway to Grant Avenue.

It seems unlikely we are ever to see an area where there are six or seven motels all together in Winnipeg.

By all accounts, the hotel business in Winnipeg has fared not too bad. No evidence yet that it overbuilt. They cater to wide variety of clients and have a few income streams to help them be more diverse than just letting rooms.

In the next year or so, we will see a few new addictions vying for best Winnipeg hotel. Perhaps we might be saying the new Grand Hotel at the airport is the best or the Alt Hotel downtown. It seems fairly certain though that the debate on what is the best will continue for some time,

The Winning Samuel L. Jackson Reddit Monologue Muthaphukkas!

Osborne Village Grove Restaurant

The Grove on Grosvenor

It was a safe better to say that there were quite a few a residents and non-residents of the Osborne Village who had trepidations about what would replace Papa George's restaurant. After 35 years, it is not surprising that there was concern.

The iconic corner was being eyed by a variety of business interests including many who were thinking of something besides a restaurant. I suspect had a national restaurant decided to build there that the Idle No More and Anonymous might have risen in defiance. The only reason they didn't make a bigger deal about international retailer American Apparel and Burger King moving into the area was because they would not have a place to buy their black tights or get a Baconator after a hard day of protesting.

The announcement that the owners of The Grove in River Heights will take over has probably come as a relief to some. In some ways, the three year old restaurant and pub is a blueprint for how to replace a longstanding establishment with a new concept. Tubby's Pizza had been around so long that almost anything that arrived to replace it was likely to take getting used to. It was 45 years for Tubby's and Charlie-O's and a whole lot of history including some famous stopovers by Neil Young and the Guess Who.

After three years of being around, The Grove shows some staying power and might challenge for length of time being in the River Heights neighbourhood.

The owner's of The Grove have said they won't do The Grove II in Osborne Village. I don't think I need reminding people that a former concept from River Heights called The Academy that moved to Osborne ultimately closed.

The 3000 square foot location of the new concept restaurant will need some TLC and deep pockets for renovation. By the end of it, it is likely that a million dollars will have been spent to be ready for the fall of 2013.

Far be it for me to tell the new owners how to operate their restaurant but it is likely that residents and visitors will be looking for a few things from the new kid on the block.

In no particular order:

* Very late night openings like the old concept
* A variety of small to large food offerings depending on the time of day
* A splash of neon to greet people to the restaurant and Osborne Village

I think the food can be fairly different from the old Papa George's offerings without offending the neighbourhood. To be honest, it is likely that people are looking to be tickled by something new and tasty.

If there was a few things that might make people stand up and cheer, it might be a sidewalk cafe aspect. If Second Cup across the street can set up for tables, you can better believe that a new place across the street can do the same.

You don't need a heck of a lot of space to make it work. By Second Cup, you have to squeeze by the traffic light and newspaper boxes. However, it works.

Sidewalk and patio stuff on Osborne and side street and you will have a rocking Osborne Village.

Just saying...

Whole Foods Coming to Winnipeg?

Whole Foods

There had been rumours afloat for a number of months about Whole Foods accelerating their expansion plans for Canada and now it is confirmed.

The grocery store known for organic and other good foods and with legions of fans has been on a tear financially and making loads of money. It is also expanding at the rate of 30 stores a year.

The only province so far that Whole Foods has said they are looking at beyond their stores in Ontario and B.C. is in Quebec. However, the rumour mill has been fired up quite a bit in Winnipeg that Whole Foods is looking at the Polo Park area and Seasons of Tuxedo as part of their 40 stores across Canada plan.

It is not easy to find places for stores nowadays and some U.S. retailers have been looking at margins in Canada and wondering why they have not made the move to expand faster.

In the last fives years, Winnipeg has seen a rapid change in the retail landscape and will continue to see it.

Seasons of Tuxedo had on its website that a grocery store was one of the desired elements of the development. Could it be that this is where a Whole Foods will go? Or are they waiting for the second and third phase of the development on the other side of Sterling Lyon?

In any event, if the plan for Canada is 40 stores of Whole Food nation-wide, you can get bet that the rumours may not be in fact rumours.

The New Tall Tower

Harmony Village in Barrie, Ontario

The announcement of Winnipeg's tallest building comes roughly a year after I mused about when and where the next one would come. It was suggested by a few that a pure office tower was unlikely and that the best bet would probably be a condominium complex.

There are a few apartments and condos going up in the 20 floor category throughout the city, including Heritage Landing on the Assinibone and D Condo also on the Assiniboine River.

There is a long lag between announcing and building these things as pre-sales dictate how fast. And sometimes...projects never take off. It was a few decades before One Wellington Crescent was built. The site sat with billboards announcing something was going up year after year.

In the case of Heritage Landing, actual construction by Crystal Construction is taking place now. And with D Condo, they have torn down the Dubrovnik restaurant.

As far as announcements go, the splash was quite big. Rental tents were set up for guests to see the CEOs of two large eastern based developers Fortress Read Developments and Mady Development Corporation come and say they are proceeding with a sales office and hope to build as high as 42 storeys.

The tallest buildings in the city are all at Portage and Main and average 32 to 33 storeys.

There were no models or renderings of what things might look like. The closest guess is from what Fortress has done in Toronto and Barrie, Ontario with their Harmony Village concept.

Harmony Village on Lake Simcoe

Even then though, it may not adequately portray what is coming in their Winnipeg project. You can't plan a village per se on land opposite the new Winnipeg Police headquarters. There simply is not enough room on the old Winnipeg Tribune site for multiple buildings and plaza.

Although there is talk of around $150 to $200 million or so for this building or buildings, no financing seems to be in place aside from around $1 million for a sales office. There is nothing wrong with that. A lot of places start with a sales office and nothing more. Some don't even have that. It may be a billboard and a website.

The site on Graham Avenue has stood empty when thieves in the night shuttered the Winnipeg Tribune in 1980. The inevitable demolition happened and the land has been surface parking ever since. The land is now purchased and a development plan now proposed.

Some asked why any of the news conference yesterday was news. It is a legitimate question. However, the reaction from some has been cynical and sarcastic or disbelieving. That's okay. We are familiar with that here in Winnipeg. And we have had the football pulled away at the last minute to be completely certain if something is real.

Without singling anyone out as it was more than a few people who may have mentioned or made comment on the development, here is what we heard over the last days more or less:

We once had the tallest building in Canada, then for the west, now we hope to be the biggest between Calgary and Toronto?

Worst news since the announcement of the expanded Winnipeg Convention Centre.

Carpetbaggers coming to the city with no money.

Won't fly in Winnipeg. No one wants to live where they they will be stabbed in the streets and die a cold miserable death.

Who wants to live downtown when we don't have a commuting problem like big cities?

Another terrible planning choice that turns it's back on the downtown around it.

I hate Winnipeg. It is the worst city, in the worst province in the worst country, on the worst continent on the worst planet in the worst solar system in the worst galaxy in the worst universe. I HATE YOU ALL. DIE, DIE, DIE.

 Or words to that effect.

There is not much we can do for those sour on things. Some are perfectly sound criticisms.

I look at it from this perspective: What exists on the Graham Street spot is a parking lot. It has not had a meaningful existence aside from that for 33 years. Interest is being shown by two large out of town developers who have bought said land and have stated they want to bring a 25,000 grocery store to the area as well as parkade for 350 to 400 cars, 70,000 of retail space, up to 100,000 of office and maybe 300 to 400 condos.

The two developers have done such work before. It is safe to say their goal is to get this project done within a three or four year timeframe.

In terms of city planning, I think it is probably important to make sure the future tower is connectable to the skywalk system and to the neighbourhood. The design features in terms of safety and energy efficiency should be pushed to high standards.

I am far less cynical about the development than some. While the development itself is planned, what happens to the surrounding area might be more organic.

What could the arrival of 1000 people living in the area mean? Well, it is attractive to other people who will see a grocery nearby, a Tim's, a sidewalk cafe, a used book store and so on. We might see more in fill developments happen in the area as it become more desirable.

The truth is that what a neighbourhood starts as is not how it will be forever.

I guess we'll soon see how this development unfolds but given the demographics of people downsizing large homes and other people looking for starter properties, it could work in Winnipeg. And the attraction of a mixed used property could be even more attractive.

Which Rona in Winnipeg Will Close?

In this blog a while back I indicated that Sears Canada was struggling mightily. It still is. However, after an injection of cash from their sale of some of the large leases to Nordstrom's, they will continue the struggle to emerge as viable. It is not hard to see Sear looking enviously at the Hudson Bay Company flush with cash from ending Zellers achieve profitability.

Target is breathing down all their necks as open more and more stores. Sears has indicated they could close more stores but it isn't their first option. Rumours continue to swirl over their Polo Park location. The suspicion is this is the last chance for the company to make a go of it without a major contraction or sale to someone else. The large Polo Park location is looked upon hungrily by competitors.

The latest company in Canada to talk about shutting stores down is Rona. The decision to drop or sell the big box stores of the home improvement retailer was mulled over the last weeks. The story is that quite a few of the stores including some in Winnipeg are losing money or have thin margins.

The new head of Rona says the option of closing or selling the 28 big box stores outside Quebec is off the table as a whole (The company also has 28 big box formats in Quebec). That is not to say that some unprofitable stores might not be closed. Last year the company closed 5 locations.

Looking at Winnipeg, it is not easy to see what Rona might be closed of the three big boxes. There is the Sargent location at Polo Park (once a Revy), the Panet Road location in Transcona and the Kenaston location down the street from IKEA.

What complicates this whole thing is Lowe's Home Improvement continues to add locations across Canada. They are scheduled to begin construction of a massive store on the Seasons of Tuxedo site. If there is one store in Winnipeg that will face brutal competition, it might be the Kenaston location.

Lowe's actively pursued Rona last year but Quebec enterprise politics prevented a deal from happening. Unless something dramatic happens, it is possible Rona will have to re-visit the sale or closure of some assets.

Could it be Kenaston? Could it be all of the Rona big boxes?

The B.C. Election and What it Means for Manitoba

B.C. NDP Leader Adrian Dix in Defeat

Despite Losing Her Own Seat, B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark Wins

What can you can about Tuesday's Liberal majority win in the B.C. election?

Some are calling it the upset of the century in Canadian politics. Perhaps. We have seen a few reversals in fortunes over the years. To be fair to B.C. though, this was a rather stunning turn of events.

By all accounts, the NDP expected to win the provincial election. They expected to win big. Some figured it was a moral imperative that they do win against a Liberal party that was wrong, wheezing, unloved and in need of a time out.

The Liberals had so many knocks against it the last years that people started to lose count. The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) struck down, party staffers linked to controversial political notes, the economy and a whole host of others things seemed to tag the Liberals time and time again on the chin.

The political opinion polls had given wide support to the NDP. Adrian Dix, the leader looked to be the man to takeover the premier's office and hand Liberal leader Christy Clark a devastating defeat.

So what went wrong?

Well, I don't live in B.C. and won't presume to know everything about the politics there. However, let's look at a few things.

First: It is generally a difficult task to unseat a sitting government

The government has all the advantages before the writ is dropped. It can run ads on TV for government service that promote its work. It can deliver money to various areas and be there for all the glad handing. It has a large staff, better resources, better access to funds, better access to new candidates than other parties.

In short, being in government is like a runner who is allowed a few strides out of the blocks even more the starter's gun is fired.

Second: Negative ads work

The NDP leader Adrian Dix said he was going to run a positive campaign. It failed. The Liberals hit hard and they hit mean and the NDP took a drubbing. It is a fine line to decide just how far to take things in an ad campaign. While Canadians say they don't like the ads, it is surprising how they will quote back from them when asked for an impression.

It is often thought that Jack Layton ran a positive campaign.

Remember this ad?

It was a effective and despite Ignatieff indicating that he needed to meet Canadians directly after becoming leader, it played on a carefully constructed narrative that Layton was hard at work in Ottawa.

One can imagine the attendance record of the NDP during their campaign as Tom Mulcair took over. Or of the Liberals today with Justin Trudeau taking over.

In any case, negative ads work. It is something Justin Trudeau must accept or looks like Adrian Dix in the next election.

Third: Political opinion polls can be wrong

Or at the very least cause people to change their vote, lose their interest and maybe not show up. Voter turn out was awful. Did some people assume a NDP victory and figure their vote was not needed.? Did Liberal voters get scared and run to the ballot boxes to stop an NDP victory?

Or is there something more fundamental? Are the poll callers not getting through to enough electorate? Are they routinely missing people? Is the measurement of opinion failing terribly?

Fourth: Voter turn out is imperative

Even if polls are super accurate, they can be undermined by a lazy and unmotivated voter.  Liberals got their vote out, the NDP did not.

Fifth: Don't count your chickens

A good political campaign depends on many things. Sometimes it is because your opponent slips. In B.C., the provincial Conservative struggled and had a few candidates dropped.  This kept people from considering voting for them rather than Liberals or NDP. A vote Conservative was more likely to help the NDP.

The NDP didn't know how to fight the negative campaign and looked weak when having to defend themselves.

Luck, skill and timing are important. A campaign can turn on a dime with an economic report, scandal, a debate or a perceived gamechanger.

It should be mentioned that elections rarely turn on one key policy. It is more about the the perception of what your overall focus will be rather than specific ideas.

Analysts might scratch their heads for some time with this one. We may never know what main turning point changed everything. Suffice to say, it may have been all of the above or none of the above.

***

So what does this mean for Manitoba?

We had our election in 2011 and although the Tories led initial polls heading into the vote, their support was spread out inefficiently. The NDP staked a claim on seat rich Winnipeg and continued to target voters with money and policies that would make Stephen Harper proud as it comes from his playbook.

Any potential Liberal threat was mitigated and despite what some once again called good policies, the thinking was that Jon Gerrard was not the man to challenge the two main parties.

For better or for worse, it is usually about the leader in provincial elections. In provincial politics in general, it is hard for people to identify their own local elected officials.

In the past Manitoba election, the decision was generally about who should leader. Hugh McFadyen just didn't connect with people. And although Greg Selinger wasn't lighting up the skies, he was the premier and it was enough to carry the day.

It obviously came down to more than that. The Progressive Conservatives caused some suspicion and lost credibility with their promise to have a longer deficit than the NDP.

The negative NDP campaign about Manitoba Hydro was something the PCs just couldn't defend against. The problem was they had no election platform to challenge the NDP where they lived and breathed on health and education.

In short, not enough contrast so that the PCs could hit hard on an issue or two favoured by Manitobans.

***

Lesson learned for the next Manitoba election? All the parties have to create a narrative for their campaign, the leader has to be sharp and a rapid defence initiated to every challenge. Don't be afraid to go negative but watch for over the top. Don't let the polls discourage and motivate your voters right to the last minute.

The final tally is all that matters in the end

River Heights Corydon Development

1425 Corydon Avenue

It looks like the empty space left by the Esso gas station and carwash will be filled by a two floor office building in River Heights.

Earlier this month, approval was given for a 9,600 square foot office consisting of a dentist clinic on the first floor and possible medical clinic on the second floor.

This is a fairly consistent end result when gas stations decide to close down. Academy Road transformed in the 1980s and beyond when three gas stations closed near the St. James Bridge.

Despite the fact that Corydon runs straight through River Heights, it has little commercial development until it is past River Heights Junior High. For many years the highlight was Dixon's Pharmacy at 1437 Corydon Avenue long since replaced with the Paper Gallery.

River Heights kids used to trudge in the 1970s to Dixon's and and an ice cream shop that sits more or less where the 7/Eleven is now. The ice cream shop was replaced sometime in the very early 1980s with the convenience store.

Much of the real commercial heart of River Heights has been between the rail line and the Lanark Street. An old Safeway was transformed into a multi-store building with an additional commercial building constructed later.

Across the street from Corydon Village Mall was the little restaurant that grew. In the very early 1980s, there was a Bank Of Montreal, Papa George's and a barber shop. But the real busy place in this collection of merchants was Neiman's Pharmacy.

In 1983, Papa George's was taken over by Mona Lisa Pizza. Subsequently, almost the entire building has been taken over by the restaurant and patio. The recent renovations look fabulous although many people are likely to mourn the loss of the only neon sign on Corydon in River Heights.

A two floor office building in River Heights is not likely to set hearts aflutter but it is good to point out the aging population of the neighbourhood could use dentists and medical clinics just as much as a swishy restaurant.

The re-purposing of buildings in established neighbourhoods is an interesting undertaking. The move to very large gas stations has left open space all over the city of Winnipeg where the small stations have closed. It is an evolving industry of re-building...not the least of which entails cleaning the site first.

It is interesting that the development on Corydon is choosing to put parking in the back of the building. This is a much improved decision than letting parking in the front. However, this decision came at the behest of the developer, not the city.

The proposed development to the street...and what could have been

Some would say don't allow parking at all. I understand the sentiment but unrealistic in car city Winnipeg. That doesn't mean we need to destroy the streetscape when constructing a new building. Front street parking creates large windswept lots that no one wants to walk along.

Building to the street and parking in the back is a good decision which we should see more of. I think it is much more neighbourhood friendly and gives the building far more street appeal and possibly future uses for retail and restaurant use.

It is time that City Hall started to think about all of these old gas stations and start suggesting strongly they develop along these ways.

Zachary Quinto vs. Leonard Nimoy: "The Challenge"

Target Opening, Cabela's Opening

The old Zellers now Target at Southdale Centre on Lakewood Boulevard

This is the day that Target opens three locations in Manitoba, two in Winnipeg and one in Brandon. The first to open in Winnipeg is the Southdale Centre location and Kildonan Place. Both of these stores occupy old Zellers locations.

There are likely only a few people who will mourn Zellers. It never did live up to potential, didn't capture the population like say... Canadian Tire, never became anyone's first choice for anything really. In the end, the smart move for Hudson Bay Company was to sell off the leases and use the money to at least save HBC. And it worked if the retail sales from last quarter of 2012 are to be believed. HBC is doing much better.

Target will be a huge improvement in retailing in Winnipeg and Canada. Each store has undergone a $10 million refurbishment. The Polo Park and Grant Park future locations will likely be much more.

I think the one disappointment people will have is that prices are not going to be as low as stores in Grand Forks or Fargo. Taxes and tariffs only count for a part of what the difference is. There is logistics involved as well and far greater competition in the U.S. To be blunt, world-wide manufacturers figure to have higher margins in Canada because it is considered less competitive or of value than the U.S. market. This forces Canadian retailers to charge more.

The only way to slowly force the prices down to something we see in the U.S. is for successful retailers like Target to be in the market. The scale needed and the competitive drive will certainly help.

What Canadians don't know and probably don't care since it doesn't affect them is that the U.S. government subsidizes or runs at a loss things that help make U.S. prices lower. And by that I mean the Interstate highway system and decades long support from the federal government, subsidized airports that don't charge user fees and a post office that loses money in the billions.

Imagine how that affects prices. A company can ship a product on a federally subsidized highway, place it in the mail offering free shipping cause of the subsidized mail and it can be sent via air because of federally subsidized airports.

As mentioned, Canadian don't care that this might not be sustainable in the U.S....they just wonder how it is that clothes cost so much cheaper there.

The stagnant sales over the last few years in the U.S. have meant that U.S. retailer are casting their eyes northward. We have seen a steady stream of U.S. stores and restaurants come up and we will see a lot more.

Target is not the only one to open up this week. On Thursday, Cabela's opens up their Seasons of Tuxedo location. It is a massive store and is sure to attract people from inside and outside the city to shop there. The fact that Winnipeg is head office to the Canadian operations will pay dividends for years.

A few closures to mention. After 52 years, Gord's Ski shop has shuttered its doors. The owner indicated the Kenaston location and poor snows over two winters along with a decline in snowboarding capped the iconic company.

Curiously, Dolce Vita in Polo Park is locked up in a dispute with Cadillac Fairfew, operators of the mall. No word on their St. Vital Centre location.

Canad Inns Hotel - Health Sciences Centre

Canad Inns Hotel from William Avenue

It was hard to believe that it would ever happen and after 8 years, I think Canad Inns owners might have wondered what they got themselves into.

It is the 12th hotel in the chain and the only one in Canada that is part of a health campus. At 16 floors and 191 rooms, it cost $40 million and will employ 300 staff trained in how to provide care to hospital patrons. This was not a HSC project. This was privately driven.

This hotel is not the solution for everyone. It is just one amenity among others at the hospital. The two restaurants and Starbucks are likely to be well used even by those who don't stay at the hotel.

Canad Inns Tucked in beside emergency and general hospital

I have some seen some online comments about the hotel criticizing private enterprise. Some suggested the hotel should have been paid for by the province and that room rates should be really low. I have heard similar comments about parking and other areas of hospital features.

I have a lot of sympathy for the rising cost for those who have to go back and forth to the hospital for treatment. Even for those in the city, the cost of parking can be brutal. Still, the cost to build the parkades run upwards of $50 million.

Who should pay for parking or hotels when needed? It is a tough question. If parking was free, chances the lots would be full all the time with staff and those coming to and from the hospital.

One of the reason parking rates and hours were changed downtown is because some people rolled up to a meter at 5:30 and that is where they remained for several hours.

There is no doubt that free parking is never really free. Even in a place like Polo Park, the price of parking is added to your bill of sale.

At any rate, the harsh criticism against Canad Inns for the price of their hotel likely ignores the fact the rack rate of a room is always negotiable. Long terms stays, members of automobile associations and government and university rates probably apply.

There have been several hotels that have gone up in the city. The prices generally create some sticker shock for those thinking Grand Forks or Fargo prices of about $60 or $70. The truth is that despite the amount of new hotels up, we don't compete at the level they do in the U.S.

It is probably best not to read comments on the news sites. It might lead you to believe this is the worst thing that has ever happened to the city. It isn't. The Canad Inns at HSC will provide other options for the hospital in terms of food and overnight stays for people. Even the university is likely to benefit as they will probably put an overnight guest lecturer at the hotel, host a function in the meetings rooms or have families stay there as their kids get situated at the medical school.

The costs of people having to park or stay overnight in the city continues to be a factor. Ronald McDonald House showed one way to help. We need others. But let's not pile on a private investment that has 300 workers employed and is like nothing seen in this city or country before. It will fill a need and may encourage others to follow suit.

The Long Hot Summer of Crime

Winnipeg Police Ford Interceptor

Kudos to the Winnipeg Police Service for massive arrests to the Hell's Angels last year and the Mad Cowz now. In 2012, 11 members of the Hell's Angel's got taken down in arrests centered around trafficking drugs. One leader was sentenced to 10 years prison and his house on Autumnwood and two motorcycles were confiscated along with $500,000 in cash.

Police estimate the Hell's Angels operation brought in $100,000 a month.

A side note: Where does all the confiscated money go?

Today, another 11 gang members were arrested. This time from the Mad Cowz. Once again the arrests center around trafficking, specifically cocaine.

If the belief in Winnipeg is that the arrest of so many in organized crime will make the city safer, it is probably not going to happen.

Why?

Demand.

There will be demand to fill the insatiable need for drugs in Winnipeg and the province.

If you wonder why there is so much organized crime in Winnipeg, it is because there is so much demand for drugs. Looks to your friends, your neighbours and yourself. If you are using in some form or fashion, it is likely you contribute to organized crime. The harder the drug, the more likely that organized crime was responsible for bringing it to you.

I know some recreational users of drugs probably don't want to responsibility for their behaviour citing that they have never been arrested or are not scum like those who distribute but it hard to reconcile with outcomes.

The fact of the matter is that Winnipegger's demand is responsible for the fight amongst distributors of drugs.

Now people can argue that the government should take a role in these drugs as they did with alcohol and still do today. I don't disagree and some police say the same thing. I personally don't have a use for drugs but then I am not suffering from cancer where the doctor might be recommending it either.

The point is that our morality on things like alcohol and gambling have run into a brick wall with things like demand. The government gave in on the first two. No one in their right mind has called outright for Prohibition despite the huffing and puffing.

And while government may be addicted to alcohol, gambling and cigarette taxes, it is probably better than the carnage of illegal activity. At some point, we ought to...need to think about this in regards to drugs.

But we don't live under government sanction and control of drugs now. Our provincial and federal governments are pressing ever harder on drugs and large segments of the population are pushing back with demand and those that supply illegally are jumping in.

It is something to think about when the various names of arrested suspects appears on TV. How many are them are there to supply the supposed victimless crime of using drugs?

In the end, what we can expect is a long, hot summer of violence connected to the vacuum left by another police sweep of suppliers. While I certainly don't advocate the police not doing their jobs, it does seem like an endless circle.

People who demand drugs should know their part in this cycle.

Canadian Mennonite University Expansion

As mentioned back in July on this blog, Canadian Mennonite University is building a library and overpass to connect the north and south campus. The plans this week went before a city committee for approval.

I originally opined that if an overpass was built that hopefully the public would have some general access to it.

Library and parking and overpass

The 20,000 square foot library connected over Grant Avenue met approval of those who like the idea of a public overpass and wishing better trail connections to Assiniboine Forest.

The only naysayer is the Winnipeg Police Service who as a "johnny come lately" caution about sight lines for their new regional office.

Baseball players look to lose their fields in this development by the looks of the plans but the fields surrounding the campus have been woefully underused for years.

Not included in these plans are lighter shaded future development that look to truly link north and south campus locations of CMU.

It is without a doubt excellent news about this development. I fully expect CMU to continue to attract students in greater numbers and having a top notch library furthers that growth.

This is perhaps one of the better moments where a development gets top marks for enhancing the value of the the neighbourhood and providing solutions to long sought goals such as public access.

The Cure - Friday Im In Love

New Condos for Osborne Village

583 Stradbrook between Wellington Crescent and Nassau

A large stately old house that has seen better days on Stradbrook is slated to become condos in the Osborne Village if the city approves with some conditions. The density of the area has crept higher since the 1980s when multi-family dwellings started to migrate in from the river.

The height restrictions have usually kept condos in the area under three floors. This has preserved the green canopy of trees in the neighbourhood.

The proposal is for a three story condo complex with most of the parking underground.

The demand for such housing in the area is undeniable and the chances that someone might buy the old house for a single detached family dwelling is fairly limited given the restoration work needed to bring it to safe and modern standards.

It is hard to really get an idea of the attractiveness of the building from the present specs.

The development of Osborne Village is now spreading out to more areas.

This is a development in keeping with increasing density but also staying in character for one of Canada's most resilient and interesting districts.

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Kiss Them For Me

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Ode to Jayne Mansfield

Kiss them for me was the name of the Cary Grant and Jayne Mansfield movie of 1957.