The demolition of the Public Safety Building at the corner of William Avenue and Princess Street in downtown Winnipeg is officially underway.
The former police headquarters, as well as the adjacent Civic Centre Car Park, will be replaced with new facilities as part of the Market Lands redevelopment project, a proposed community hub and marketplace.
Angela Mathieson, president and CEO of CentreVenture Development Corporation — the arms-length city agency involved in implementing downtown projects and development — told 680 CJOB on Tuesday evening that the exterior demolition is an important step.
“The demolition of these buildings is going to take an entire year,” said Mathieson.
“You’re seeing the outside progress; they’ve been inside the buildings for some time. Through 2020, they’ll be demolishing them, and it’s really readying the site for that vision we had approved by city council earlier this year.”
Mathieson said once the Public Safety Building — which has been unused since Winnipeg police moved to a new headquarters on Graham Avenue almost five years ago — is removed, Winnipeggers might be in for a bit of a shock.
“By the fall of this year, you’re going to see a vacant site, and I think it’s going to be quite surprising to people, because people drive by the site, it’s kind of non-descript. People don’t have a good sense of the size of it. Once they see these buildings come down, they’re gonna see how we are able to accomplish the vision we put forward.”
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The plan for the southern portion of the Market Lands is to develop mixed-income rental accommodation, as well as giving prominent space to local arts organizations, and some other features aimed at bringing Winnipeggers downtown.
“We’re going to see some really nice, intimate public spaces, as well as a new marketplace where we’re going to have food and Manitoba makers selling products, and different events,” she said.
“It’s going to be a brand-new destination right in the centre of our historic quarter.”
The city is livestreaming the ongoing redevelopment on YouTube, so Winnipeggers can watch the demolition, from a camera on top of the Susan A. Thompson building on Main Street, as it progresses.
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