Plan to redevelop University of Manitoba-owned golf course into urban community gets green light
A plan to transform a former golf course owned by the University of Manitoba into a complete urban community has cleared its first hurdles.
The university’s board of governors approved a development plan for Southwood Circle on Jan. 31.
The proposal would see the former Southwood Golf and Country Club, which was bought by the university in 2008, transformed into a multi-family urban environment with 11,000 residential units, retail spaces, services and 21 acres of parklands.
“It's a very exciting project,” said Rejeanne Dupuis, U of M’s director of campus planning. “It will be sustainable. It will support the university community. It will bring revenue to the university, and really be a model of Indigenous planning and design, something we can be very proud of.”
(Source: UM Properties)
The 112-acre site, which sits adjacent to U of M, is being developed in three phases by UM Properties - a separate development entity established by the university to focus on the Southwood project.
According to the plan, third-party developers will put up about 90 per cent of the money needed to create the $5 billion community.
“The first phase is about 12 acres of land on which will go about 2,000 residential units and up to 100,000 square feet of retail and services. So that would be a marketplace, bars, restaurants, stuff like that," said Greg Rogers, CEO of UM Properties, noting it will also include a new building to house the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
(Source: UM Properties)
Indigenous design principles are also a key focus in the landscape plans, with a push to preserve and highlight century-old vegetation.
“The park, for example, will be a network that facilitates the continued movement of wildlife through the community, and that includes in this network, meeting places, social places, things that are traditional in Indigenous culture that will create intersections between people who live here, their various interests and create a stronger bond between people, the community and Mother Earth,” Rogers explained.
Another major focus of the plan is to prioritize ‘humans over cars,’ making major amenities walkable within five minutes.
University of Manitoba Students’ Union president Jaron Rykiss believes this is the direction campus should be moving towards.
‘There’s definitely a commuter campus ideology that we would love to see converted into a school where there’s a community that’s vibrant on campus. Whether that comes from the Southwood development, or just comes naturally over the next 40 or so years, we’re just excited to see a step in the right direction on this,” Rykiss said.
The design has already received city approval. Developers intend to start marketing initial lots in March, with building construction beginning next year.
However, the full development could take decades to fully establish.
“If we get this first phase right with high density, significant amenities, great buildings, great landscape and park infrastructure, then I would anticipate the balance of the community going far faster,” Rogers said.
(Source: UM Properties)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'