Winnipeg Construction X

[WestEndWander]

Originally Posted by trueviking

so many of the arguments i hear for working from home is that i'm able to do things that are not work during the day....which i get....but also why I think eventually people will be pushed back to the office....i agree about the young mothers point...i have the same experience in my office....that leads to a larger discussion than WFH.

other than gaining time form an average 25 minute commute, shouldn't you be focused on working in those hours anyways.

As shown in the comment above, It seems like so much of the WFH discussion is about hating the commute (which is ironically what i missed the most when i was at home, because i don't drive)...it makes me wonder, that if commuting is so terrible, why do so many people not consider their commute when they choose a place to live....seems like solid surface countertops is more important than how far they need to drive....driving does suck...so why not do less of that instead of sitting alone all day just to avoid it.

Yes, because there are so many desirable options for a family of 4 to live downtown......

And we know only young mothers want to be at home and help out with the house and kids, right? What year are you living in?

Unfortunately your desire for urbanism everywhere clouds your ability to see that people also desire yards for themselves and children, quality elementary and high school options, available child care, and proximity to decent services. None of which exist downtown. Where I live now was selected for a reason other than solid surface countertops, as was the case for many people.

It's 55 mins to get to the lake and 20-25 mins to get to work. I move one way I'm driving the other. It's not as cut and dry for everyone as you make it out to be with your sunny ways urbanism. We live in Winnipeg.

Also, you do understand the term work-life balance right? If someone wants to go for a walk during the work day or run out to cut the grass or go get groceries does it really bother you or affect you? Provided they have ensured their work responsibilities are complete what does it matter?

You seem most bothered by the fact that someone won't be consistently working throughout the day. Your desire for the standard 8 hour work day straight lock away is old school and outdated. Are you focused on work and only work for your 8 hours a day in the office?

You are free to live your life as you choose without the look down your nose at others who don't live the same way. It's not possible or desirable for everyone, and that's ok. It's far more complex than move if you don't like driving. It's telling that you have tried to distill it into one factor such as that.

And again, your work from home experience of solitary loneliness is not everybody's experience.

[GreyGarden]

It’s insane that the West End is not more prosperous than it is. Given it’s location, an outsider would expect it to be really expensive. In so many Canadian cities, single family neighbourhoods on the edge of downtowns are some of the most expensive. You get your own house but can still walk to the office.

[damnedmenno]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

It’s insane that the West End is not more prosperous than it is. Given it’s location, an outsider would expect it to be really expensive. In so many Canadian cities, single family neighbourhoods on the edge of downtowns are some of the most expensive. You get your own house but can still walk to the office.

Walk from the West End to the Exchange every day for work for the past 20 years. Takes me just over 20 minutes, but really do wonder why it is not better than it is, and sometimes really wish it was better. Still some of the best restaurants and hoping some of that Sherbrooke uptake continues on over to the north side. Parts of Ellice and Sargeant have so much promise.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

It’s insane that the West End is not more prosperous than it is. Given it’s location, an outsider would expect it to be really expensive. In so many Canadian cities, single family neighbourhoods on the edge of downtowns are some of the most expensive. You get your own house but can still walk to the office.

thats due to slum landlords taking hold over the years when u could buy these houses for 5 -25k so these areas are run down now witch has allowed fr run it into the ground as cheap as possible kinda buisnes models to make sens

[damnedmenno]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

thats due to slum landlords taking hold over the years when u could buy these houses for 5 -25k so these areas are run down now witch has allowed fr run it into the ground as cheap as possible kinda buisnes models to make sens

Quite true, I live next to a rooming house which at times can be a nightmare. And trying to get the city to do anything is next to impossible even if illegal renovations have been done. My house is almost identical in size and layout, about 1,500 sq ft, the rooming house has 10 rented rooms with 1 bathroom and somehow still legal.

[WestEndWander]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

It’s insane that the West End is not more prosperous than it is. Given it’s location, an outsider would expect it to be really expensive. In so many Canadian cities, single family neighborhoods on the edge of downtowns are some of the most expensive. You get your own house but can still walk to the office.

My wife and I lived in the West End in a condo until we had our first child. We wanted to stay in the area but it's residential condition isn't the greatest at this time, nor are the schools, parks, etc. Add the compounded social issues in the area and we weren't left with many choices but an area like River East where we ended up.

The West End housing stock hasn't been flipped over the way that Wolseley has, right across Portage Ave. A $250,000 price in house difference by just crossing the street.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by damnedmenno

Quite true, I live next to a rooming house which at times can be a nightmare. And trying to get the city to do anything is next to impossible even if illegal renovations have been done. My house is almost identical in size and layout, about 1,500 sq ft, the rooming house has 10 rented rooms with 1 bathroom and somehow still legal.

the city makes no sens indeed u get someone trying to do it right and the inspectors come down on them lie theyre the devil ts weird

[esquire]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I loved living in wolseley....bike, walk...never worried about tht e bus schedule, just walk to portage and get on the first one.

This whole discussion shows how backwards winnipeg is...esquire is not alone in his feelings....the perceived only options are live downtown or in a distant suburb, because the idea of living near the centre of the city is unthinkable (except for a handful of neighbourhoods)....where in most cities, living near the centre is impossible or unaffordable because there's so much demand....people are forced out to the suburbs so they can afford housing....“drive until you qualify”.....here you can get house for cheap near the centre but nobody wants to live there.

So the case you're making is to live on Dufferin Avenue so we can walk to work downtown and spend every weekday toiling in our offices where the boss can see us like it's 1968...

I don't know vike, you are a persuasive person but I'm having a hard time buying into this particular vision

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by WestEndWander

Yes, because there are so many desirable options for a family of 4 to live downtown......

And we know only young mothers want to be at home and help out with the house and kids, right? What year are you living in?

Unfortunately your desire for urbanism everywhere clouds your ability to see that people also desire yards for themselves and children, quality elementary and high school options, available child care, and proximity to decent services. None of which exist downtown. Where I live now was selected for a reason other than solid surface countertops, as was the case for many people.

It's 55 mins to get to the lake and 20-25 mins to get to work. I move one way I'm driving the other. It's not as cut and dry for everyone as you make it out to be with your sunny ways urbanism. We live in Winnipeg.

Also, you do understand the term work-life balance right? If someone wants to go for a walk during the work day or run out to cut the grass or go get groceries does it really bother you or affect you? Provided they have ensured their work responsibilities are complete what does it matter?

You seem most bothered by the fact that someone won't be consistently working throughout the day. Your desire for the standard 8 hour work day straight lock away is old school and outdated. Are you focused on work and only work for your 8 hours a day in the office?

You are free to live your life as you choose without the look down your nose at others who don't live the same way. It's not possible or desirable for everyone, and that's ok. It's far more complex than move if you don't like driving. It's telling that you have tried to distill it into one factor such as that.

And again, your work from home experience of solitary loneliness is not everybody's experience.

ha ha....yikes.

something like 10% of the population lives in a family of four.

I'm not sure what this has to do with the conversation, but I don't live downtown for the exact reasons you mention....its not a neighbourhood.

even a 20 minute commute seems like an odd thing to hate so much that it is consistently given as a prime reason people like staying home all day, but I do want good urbanism everywhere for that reason....good urbanism is not just about downtown...it about all the things you listed, in great urban neighbourhoods....in most cities the mature neighbourhoods are the costliest areas to live in because people want what you say and they want to drive less...not here.

you have made my point exactly......the great part of working from home is not working....i totally agree.....that's why i believe it wont last....

I don't care if you work from home...not judging anyone for it....what i am saying is that i don't believe it will last at large scale because there is much more to most businesses than their employees simply getting the minimum required level of work done....creativity, collaboration, mentoring, it goes on and on....

if I ran a company I wouldn't allow WFH...the company I work for doesn't except for a few people...but i don't care if you do it....i can tell you that the people at home are quickly being forgotten.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by esquire

So the case you're making is to live on Dufferin Avenue so we can walk to work downtown and spend every weekday toiling in our offices where the boss can see us like it's 1968...

I don't know vike, you are a persuasive person but I'm having a hard time buying into this particular vision

the case i am making is we should densify our mature neighbourhoods so people don't have to hate their commute so much...because like it or not, in my opinion, if you are a white collar worker, you will most likely be going back to an office at some point.

[TRiToNDREyJA]

It will be interesting to watch develop over the years. I am still young, but I know that I myself would never be able to be a more effective & efficient worker if I was at an in-office job day-in day out.

Idc how an employer could try and spin it, impossible for me to be at 100% and be tethered to the office because of the tax that arrangement puts on my brain. There are many like me I'm sure, but also many who thrive in person-to-person collaborative environments.

I guess long term it will all depend on the field of work, as well as whether the hope is to bring in self-developing employees or to bring in people who best develop together as a team (In theory that is. I know there's much more to it in practice)

[post_man]

Originally Posted by WestEndWander

We wanted to stay in the area but it's residential condition isn't the greatest at this time, nor are the schools, parks, etc. Add the compounded social issues in the area and we weren't left with many choices but an area like River East where we ended up.

So yeah, this basically sums up the slow rate of improvement in the West End. People don't want to live next to The Poors, and are waiting for someone else to gentrify the West End for them. In the meantime, any cheap houses get snatched up by slumlords or by house flippers who will throw down some laminate and gray paint then jack up the price.

[Glenn99]

Originally Posted by trueviking

some fun facts for the WFH discussion....64% of downtown workers are currently back in the office, with 24% of those in a hybrid.

Source for these fun facts?

[Ando]

Originally Posted by Glenn99

Source for these fun facts?

It's been reported in the media. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bu...wntown-leaders

[cllew]

Originally Posted by Glenn99

Source for these fun facts?

Anecdotally I notice that the traffic has started to get heavier going into work and coming home over the last few months.

When I have the 0600 start the traffic has gone from next to nothing to a steady stream and when I start at 1500 I have to leave about 10 minutes earlier as there is more traffic as well.

I'm not sure if everyone is going downtown like me but they are going somewhere at 6am.

[esquire]

To my eyes it looked like traffic started to get up to pre-pandemic levels once the school year started in September and all the post-sec students were back to in-person learning. It's maybe not quite as heavy as it was at this point 3 years ago, but it's probably about 90% of the way there?

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Sidewalk closed on Bannatyne. Very exciting.

Did you notice all of the healthy sidewalk trees in front of this property were cut down last week for this development?

[WinCitySparky]

Wow, what an utter fucking travesty

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Did you notice all of the healthy sidewalk trees in front of this property were cut down last week for this development?

Ah yes the so called “healthy” ash and elm trees that are going to be devastated no matter what the city does with them.

Emerald Ash Borer is going to literally kill off all our Ash trees anyway so we as a city have to re think our canopy anyway. We already should be quite well aware about Dutch Elm.

Imo we need to stop doing this stupid monoculture tree system and add diversity to our street trees. I would love to see Basswoods and Maple’s be more prevalent in our cities ecosystem.

[WinCitySparky]

Your point about species diversity is spot on but the inference toward cutting them down b/c they’re supposedly doomed just doesn’t make sense