A new proposal to go in front of city council next week fleshes out the details of a proposed community hub and marketplace for the Exchange District.
Called the Market Lands project, the CentreVenture development corporation has been tasked with renewing a space in the middle of the Exchange.
The report details a creative hub, gallery space, housing and a public market.
“The centre for art and design is 9,000 square feet of main floor space housing Urban Shaman: Contemporary Aboriginal Art and a new Manitoba Design Centre,” both of which will provide flexible art space for creation and display, says the report.
The public market will include small-scale spaces to “curate and incubate new Manitoba creative products and companies in food, art, craft, design and fashion.”
The market itself will be an “iconic glass structure” and up to 30 food and retail kiosks will be featured. Some kiosks will be permanent, while others will revolve, “filling an identified gap in affordable, high profile space for emerging entrepreneurs,” the report says.
The report also details what they call a “public art realm” to showcase digital art.
Above the centre for art and design, 108 non-profit rental housing units will go in and “will be made available for underserved groups.”
In December, CentreVenture chose a winning submission after a competition to come up with a design.
The project will replace the derelict public safety building and the civic parkade.
“It will be the largest infill opportunity in the Exchange District since the development of Waterfront Drive,” says the report.
The report will go before the Planning and Property Development committee on June 24.
Read the report: