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Budget lock-up may sound a little strange but that’s where I spent some time last week.
The City of Winnipeg released its proposed budget and before it was made public, I joined community organizations and stakeholders in a quiet room at City Hall to dig through two coiled notebooks totaling 670 pages. It’s a heavy lift! I flipped through the pages looking for any planned investment that would support downtown.
The good news is that the City is following through on its Strategic Priorities Action Plan to support downtown initiatives!
The proposed budget includes:
- Funding for a new Downtown Arts Capital fund
- Repairs to Millenium library parkade
- Operating funds for CentreVenture (our downtown development agency)
- Increased support for the Downtown BIZ to help clean sidewalks and transit shelters in the neighbourhood
Additional allocations include funds for Bonnycastle Park improvements in 2026 and a commitment to a frequent transit network in 2025. We’re still waiting to learn how much of the Housing Accelerator Fund will be committed to downtown, but we are excited to see a renewed commitment to invest in the heart of our city.
Stay tuned for more details as we keep digging through the pages and the budget goes through consultation and debate at City Hall.
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Winter Wanderland defies spring odds with sparkling success
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A big thank you to everyone who attended and participated in making Winter Wanderland unforgettable! Despite the spring-like weather, our sculptures held up and sparkled throughout the weekend, giving Winnipeggers a taste of Winterpeg magic.
Throughout three days of ice carving action, sculptures and performances, we increased the number of people downtown to help drive economic activity.
Thank you to our Downtown BIZ members and partners Academy Hospitality, True North Square and BGO (BentallGreenOak) for hosting us. Special thank you to Delta Hotels by Marriott Winnipeg for its contribution to our staycation giveaway.
#WanderlandWpg would not be complete without the incredible work of the teams at Sputnik Architecture and Anvil Tree. Teams from around the world competed in our Winterscape 2024 International Ice Carving Competition at True North Square. Sculptures featured teeth with legs, a canoe, a pouncing fox, a howling wolf, and a raven with its wings ready for flight.
Victor Degatan from the Philippines and Peter Hargraves from Canada won first place with their masterpiece, the “Ice Menagerie of Northern Creatures.” They also dominated the People’s Choice Awards, where people voted for their favourite sculpture for a chance at winning a fabulous Staycation Package.
Join us in making the most of the winter season and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!
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New Downtown BIZ Board members
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Our work at the Downtown BIZ is guided by a dedicated team of volunteer BIZ members committed to moving downtown forward. We are pleased to welcome our new board chair and directors for 2024. A warm welcome to Kerem Leylek from Eckler and Roberto Sinopoli from Aveda Institute who bring their valuable expertise to the table.
Congratulations to our new Board Chair, Amelia Laidlaw! As the co-founder of Tandem Collaborative, a company specializing in meaningful business and marketing strategies and brand development, Amelia’s leadership will be instrumental in setting the path ahead.
COMPLETE LIST OF BOARD MEMBERS
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Host It Grant to bring more people downtown
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Our Host It Program is live! Join us in making downtown vibrant with up to $20K available to boost new events, relocate events to downtown or expand existing ones.
This grant program aims to increase downtown visitation and complement the existing portfolio of events put on by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.
Application deadlines:
April 30, 2024, for events occurring June 1 – August 31, 2024
July 31, 2024, for events occurring September 1 – December 31, 2024
For questions, please email events@downtownwinnipegbiz.com.
Apply Now
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Fresh Chinatown banners unveiled
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In collaboration with Winnipeg Arts Council and the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, illustrator Natalie Mark has created eight neighbourhood banner designs for Chinatown, inspired by the Dynasty Building’s public garden. These banners, strategically placed in seventeen locations across Chinatown, are slated to be up for five years.
Building on Natalie’s ties to the community, they collaborated with students from Victoria Albert School to create a 2024 Year of the Dragon banner, unveiled at the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural and Community Centre’s Lunar Year Banquet.
We encourage you to take a stroll and see Chinatown come alive firsthand with our captivating public art!
LEARN MORE
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As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions:
204-958-4640
info@downtownwinnipegbiz.com
Thank you,
Kate Fenske, CEO
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ
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