Winnipeg Walkway System

Picture 1: Construction of the first link of the Winnipeg Walkway from Eaton's to the Somerset building

Picture 2: The east bridge of the Portage Place walkway. Source: Winnipeg Free Press

Picture 3: Picture of the plans for the Winnipeg Walkway

The Winnipeg Walkway System is modelled on the Minneapolis Skyway which began in built in 1962 and now encompass 80 city blocks and runs five miles.

Winnipeg's first overhead walkway was constructed in 1969 between Eaton's and the Somerset building where Woolworth's was located.

It has been a slow process linking up Winnipeg buildings. The problem, in short, is that there have often been gaps where there was no building to link. The downtown has a surfeit of parking lots.

The other issue is money. Many of the landowners seem to want the government to pay the bill for the overhead walkways. Mr. Christian has as good synopsis of the development of the walkways.

The plan for the $6 million walkway expansion is described on the city of Winnipeg website.

Walkways are not pretty. Underground ain't pretty either but those are two options for cold climates for people to walk places without donning a coat. I have no problem with linking the downtown. However, I do have a problem when the walkways are as ugly as we have seen.

Linking buildings is no substitute for abandoning the street level. The city needs to make greater efforts in this department.



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Colchester United FC

Colchester United 0 Scunthorpe United 0 - Football League One

Colchester is 56 miles northeast of London and is claimed to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in AD 77. Its Celtic name was Camulodunon, meaning 'the fortress of (the war god) Camulos'. Following the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, a Roman legionary fortress was established and the name Camulodunon was modified to the Roman spelling of 'Camulodunum'. Camulodunum served as the first Roman capital of Britain, but was attacked and destroyed during Boudica's rebellion in AD 61. In 1884 the town was struck by the Colchester earthquake, estimated to have been 4.7 on the Richter Scale causing extensive regional damage. Colchester is reputed to be the home of three of the best known English nursery rhymes: 'Old King Cole', 'Humpty Dumpty' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star'. Local legend places Colchester as the seat of King Cole (or Coel) of the rhyme Old King Cole, a legendary ancient king of Britain. Colchester is also the most widely credited source of the rhyme Humpty Dumpty. During the siege of Colchester in the Civil War, a Royalist sniper known as One-Eyed Thompson sat in the belfry of the church of St Mary-at-the-Walls (Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall) and was given the nickname Humpty Dumpty, most likely because of his size. The third rhyme to come from Colchester is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, which was written by Jane Taylor in the town's Dutch Quarter, and published in 1806 with the title "The Star".

All the Kings's horses and all the King's men.......

Colchester United FC formed in 1937 and took over Layer Road from the recently defunct Colchester Town FC. That venue remained their home until 2008. At its closure, the ground had a capacity of 6,340, though it had previously been much higher, with a record attendance of 19,072. In 2000, Colchester United FC announced plans to move to a new 10,000 capacity all-seater community stadium at Cuckoo Farm, which were given the go-ahead by Colchester Borough Council on November 13, 2006. Construction of the stadium, funded by the council, started in June 2007, and the stadium opened at the start of the 2008-09 season.

This Pieman was keen to visit the Colchester Community Stadium (Weston Homes for sponsorship). In the morning I watched Harry Hotspur play in an entertaining 3-3 draw for East Herts Youth (Under 10s). A second match between a different set of seven players per side, ended 4-2 and his team progressed to the next round of the Denis Regan Cup with a 7-5 aggregate victory. After this I caught a direct train from Cheshunt to Stratford. From there another direct serviced sped me to Colchester North station.

I took advantage of the free bus service running from Bruff Close (3 minutes walk from the station) which takes you to the ground in a little over 5 minutes. Many of the home supporters were calling in at ‘The Bricklayers’. This Adnams pub appears to be the last available watering hole between the town and the ground and is opposite Bruff Close.

As is often the norm with new stadia, this place is comfortable with good views afforded from all seated areas. However, for me it lacks the character of Layer Road. The Health & Safety bods will declare the new place a triumph though and it is an impressive achievement for the club. Inside the ground spectators can purchase the usual overpriced refreshments.

Sometimes you get a feeling early on during a match that you will be witnessing a stalemate. This was the case today with both Colchester United and visitors Scunthorpe United huffing and puffing but lacking that bit of quality to force the issue. Both sides had decent chances but a combination of good defending, competent goalkeeping and poor finishing determined the outcome of this pre-Christmas fare.

My seat was in the unreserved section of the West Stand, at the corner where it meets the South Stand. Accordingly, I was out of the ground and on a bus within a couple of minutes of the final whistle. As soon as the bus was full it departed. I was back at the station in time to catch the 17.03 service to London Liverpool Street. This service was slightly delayed due to reports of “cows on the line at Diss” – grateful for that. Back in London for 18.00, logistically a good day for travelling if not goals!

Colchester United: Walker, Maybury, Coyne, Baldwin, Tierney, Yeates, Hammond, Izzet (Jackson 65), Perkins (Wordsworth 80), Platt, Vernon (Gillespie 65).
Subs Not Used: Gerken, White.
Booked: Yeates.

Scunthorpe United: Murphy, Wright, Pearce, Byrne, Williams, Thompson (Morris 75), McCann, Togwell, Woolford (Hayes 88), May, Hooper.
Subs Not Used: Lillis, Iriekpen, Lea.
Booked: Wright.

Referee: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).





Attendance: 4,606
Admission: £20.00
Programme: £3 (obtained for you Andy, Stan and Glyn, the barman in Phil Butler's local, the Prince Albert in Ely,)
Tea/Coffee : £1.60p
Fare: £12.40 from London Liverpool Street (with Network Gold Card discount)

The Pieman's initial visit to Layer Road

Photographic Archive

Ikea

Well, it has finally happened.

Ikea is coming to Winnipeg.

It will be one of the largest stores in Canada at 350,000 square feet. It will anchor as major tenant in an even larger 1.5 million square foot development.

The site is where the former CN Intermodal Terminal once called home. It was the bane of my existence for many years as each time I came home from work, I would face a long line of trains.

We finally have an underpass after the Waverley one was cancelled by Mulroney in the 1980s.

I like Ikea. Unlike some of the snobbery I have heard in some quarters, I think their presence is a good one. They are a tourist attraction and offer unique furniture.

The location is big enough for them and will accelerate much needed work on Kenaston which needs work with the construction of Waverley West moving ahead quickly.

When the Kapyong Barracks gets redeveloped, we are going to see Kenaston is ill equipped to handle the flow. The work is needed now and more will be needed as traffic continues to increase.

Funny, how two of the biggest tourist attractions announce their plans in the same week. Harper will be in Winnipeg on Friday to put shovels in the ground for the Human Rights Museum.



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Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre Part 2

The Tuxedo Safeway became the primary Safeway for River Heights Tuxedo residents when the Safeway at Corydon and Lanark closed in the 1970s.

As mentioned in part 1, the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre has been around since 1962.

Safeway and the Bank of Montreal have been mainstays of the shopping center from the beginning. In 2008, Safeway just finished renovating its interior to bring it to the standards of stores as seen in Charleswood, Osborne Village and their newest location at Madison Square (the second largest location in the province as announced by managers on their opening December 11).

A number of stores and restaurants have come and over the years but a few have stood the test of time. Rumors Comedy Club has been around since the 1980s. The bar that occupied the place in the early 1980s was called Kappy's. Many of the greatest comedians working in North America have worked at Rumor's. Every so often a comedian guesting on a talk show like Leno or Letterman will list where they are playing and you'll hear Rumor's listed. It is now the only comedy club standing in Winnipeg.

Shopper's Drugmart is another long term tenant. The sit cheek by jowl with Safeway cramped in a corner of the mall.

A Laura Secord store is a major tenant of the mall although I don't know the exact day they moved into the location.

Other major tenants include a Sal's and a Liquor Mart.

A Shell gas station and car wash has occupied the corner where Tuxedo connects with Corydon for decades.

The second floor of the mall has numerous professional offices but the majority seems to be occupied by dentists.

In 2008, renovations of the exterior of the mall began (including a redesign of the Safeway). Some old tenants such as the Mac's departed.

A new addition to Tuxedo was a Starbucks. Only months earlier, a Starbucks was built just down the street in Charleswood.

The Tuxedo Shopping Centre has been an important part of the commercial infrastructure of Tuxedo/River Heights for many years. As more of the local grocery stores, pharmacies and banks closed in River Heights, this area became one of the main spots for residents to come for those services. It continues to serve that need but a building that seems awkward for the space.



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