Archive for category: Uncategorized
You know your city is addicted to car culture when…
there are information kiosks dedicated EXCLUSIVELY to helping drivers navigate downtown parking options. This kiosk is located in the mezzanine level of the library foyer along the skywalk system. The kiosk and accompanying guides are actually quite well designed and include such friendly titles as: “Parking Regulations.” “A Guide to Parkades,” and “Payment Methods.”
I think this kiosk needs a remake. How about a one-stop-shop kiosk with resources on meaningful political and community engagement and city renewal?
Skywalk Eye View
Buildings in Winnipeg's downtown are connected by a system of elevated pedestrian skywalks. I find these pedestrian corridors intriguing and disturbing on a number of levels. These walkways first emerged in Winnipeg during the 70's and 80's and belong to an urban revitalization movement common to many north american cities that saw similar grade-seperate pedestrian path systems established (see Calgary's +15, Montreal's RÉSO "underground city" and Toronto's PATH). In Canada particularly with our long and cold winters, but also in American cities of a northern latitude, these systems were considered a progressive and modern means of shuttling the urban masses between buildings without the need to brave the elements. From the outset however, in Winnipeg at least, the walkway system proved to be confusing to navigate. Today the Winnipeg walkway is a system of of 14 skyways and 7 tunnels connecting 38 buildings and allowing for a maximum protected walk of 2 km.
