THE RISE AND SPRAWL

It must be Spring. The walk home from work this afternoon brought me up the stretch of Main Street’s skid row that has been undergoing publicly-led renewal since 2008. Near Henry Avenue, directly across the street from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s headquarters, a crowd has gathered.

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After a brief but violent fist fight (between the man in white standing in the parking lane, and the shirtless man partially obscured), men scramble to pick up prescription pills that spilled on the sidewalk. 

“By all indications, the [Main Street] area’s facelift will continue in the coming years, with new developments—both commercial and residential—pushing the seedier side of Winnipeg street life far north of the downtown core.” - Manitoba Business Excellence,2010

A moment later, another confrontation occurs between two women. One holds the other by the hair while she punches here and demands an apology for something. 

“Enter CentreVenture Development Corp. The agency doesn’t own a magic wand, but it does possess a very large magnifying glass, which it uses to focus attention on specific projects and problems. Fresh from a modicum of success on Main Street, the agency is turning its sights to the area around the MTS Centre…” - Winnipeg Free Press editorial, March 9, 2011