Long Neglected, Deserving of Better

I am newer to the area, but have lived in neighbouring areas all of my life, so I knew Point Douglas was so much more than its reputation. I am proud to be part of the community now. As another commenter said, the poverty-related problems often make the news, but in reality, this community is lively, tight-knit, vibrant, loving, and multi-cultural. It is full of people working to make things better for everyone in the community. The development potential for this area is incredible.

As a start, I would love for something to be done about derelict/abandoned buildings, both residential and industrial. Our area is plagued by landlords purchasing and basically throwing away residential properties for neglect. There needs to be a plan for unoccupied houses to be returned to the community through some kind of mechanism with the city. It should not just be sold on to the next landlord until it inevitably burns down and severely impacts the liveability of the neighbourhood.

More housing is never a bad thing, especially in this economy. For most of Point Douglas (including areas currently dominated by single-family homes, I believe gentle density in the form of 3-6 story buildings should be allowed and prioritized. Additionally, their design should allow for only one set of stairs so they can be smaller too. Current by-laws regarding fire safety favour massive but short buildings to accommodate the need for multiple stairwells, whereas I would love to see development given the chance to be more creative, with fewer arbitrary restrictions.

As many industrial properties as possible must be remediated and returned to the community in the form of future commercial/retail (especially grocery-related retail) and residential as applicable. Half of this area is currently industry, and they are unsuitable for the neighbourhood. As some of it commercializes, we need to eliminate parking minimums for this area. We absolutely do not need tons of parking for one building when most of the community gets around on foot or by bus/bike/mobility aid. Parking does not serve our community, and actively worsens neighbourhood liveability.

We need to increase the amenities available and suitable to teenagers as well as children and families. Having safe places for children of all ages to spend their time after school and over the summer should be a priority. The basketball court is a good start, but there should be an event aimed at children and teens to learn about what they want from their neighbourhood. They are often left out of planning, despite being a huge portion of the population in Point Douglas. There could be an art contest aimed at kids where they draw or write an essay about the future of their community, with fun or educational prizes to be won.

I am also extremely concerned by through-traffic and the disrespect for our community, largely children and seniors getting around on foot, by bike, and using other mobility aids. Some of my other concerns include speeding drivers travelling through the neighbourhood, and the impact it has on residents. Reducing speeds may not be possible (although I wish it could be), so I think infrastructure that increases safety for pedestrians is important. For example, Higgins at Sutherland just south of the Louise Bridge is an incredibly dangerous area, and efforts should be made to make it much more walkable (speed bumps, bump outs, marked and raised crosswalks, other modal filters) especially with plans to turn the point into a beautiful park space. Any development plan for the area should prioritize public access to the river, and especially pathways that do not flood or erode, reducing maintenance needs.

Additionally, the Louise Bridge could theoretically collapse at any moment, and this would deal a huge blow to the transit connectivity within the neighbourhood, since most of the lines rely on the bridge to reach residents via Sutherland. My suggestion would be to close the bridge to private motor vehicle traffic (leaving buses, pedestrians, cyclists, and other micro mobility to use it) until funding can be acquired to redo the bridge (with wider sidewalks and protected micro mobility lanes). We cannot let the bridge go the way of the Arlington Bridge, which has severed the North End community due to limited connections around the rail yard. Speaking of, the river is gorgeous, but it limits access to other parts of the city. I would love for more pedestrian bridges in our area. I live a stone's throw from the Disraeli footbridge and it is heavily used. Connections to Archibald and Whittier Park should be prioritized.

And should the railroads ever leave the area, the area they occupy and the surrounding industrial area would be prime for high-rise residential development.

I am so thrilled by this plan and hope the community is done justice.