Sunday, January 2, 2011

Building Communities Initiative Not Going To North End? Why Not?

I decided to have a look on the internet today to see where grant money goes and how the City decides to spend money they advertise as Community Building, rejuvenating older neighbourhoods, providing safer areas, and that sort of thing.
I came across the "Building Communities Initiatives II Partnership between the Province (Selinger) and the City (Katz). The approved projects for Phase I (2010-2012) show several communities, including Mynarski Ward, the Ward that includes the North End and goes from the Red River to Arlington St, from the CP rail lines to Kildonan Park. There are four projects approved so far for Mynarski Ward. They are the Tanner Tot Lot, Weinberg Tot Lot, Newton Tot Lot, and Vince Leah C.C. Athletic Field Improvements. These are all located north of Leila. Not one project for this Community Building Initiative is scheduled for the North End. The information can be found at http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/planning/BldgCommunities/default.stm.
The Building Communities Initiatives I (2002-2008) did have projects in the North End, but were limited to the Luxton Area, East of Main St between Redwood Ave and Armstrong Ave (2 streets North of Leila). That's not quite the heart of the North End. It's more like where the rich folk live.
Did City Hall erase the heart of the North End off their map? Is the North End listed as a crater, or a black hole on their map? Is it a piece of the city that warrants no assistance from an initiative designed to assist older neighbourhoods? Or am I missing something here?
I am new at this, so if I have read it wrong, or didn't get the complete picture, please fill me in. But to me it seems the North End is not getting any help here. This is supposed to be an initiative to help older communities. The City of Winnipeg site says "The goal of BCI is to improve local community infrastructure that will benefit older neighbourhoods, and contribute to the vitality, safety and health of communities throughout the city." So why not help the North End?
I just want to know who decides where the money goes. Or who is supposed to ask for the funding? Or how do these initiatives really work? I just want to understand this a little better. Thats all I want for today.

1 comment:

  1. Yes where the money goes is very much where the votes come form...

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