News & Resources
198 Sherbrook Community Consultation Design Charrette Report
Infill Housing Update
On November 27, 2008 at Crossways in Common West Broadway Development Corporation (WBDC) held a Housing/Green Space Community Forum. Thank you to all who attended this event. WBDC is pleased to report back on the outcomes of these important community development initiatives: infill housing development and a Green Plan for West Broadway.
Vacant Lots
The November 27, 2008 consultation was focused on options for six vacant lots in West Broadway. The vacant lots are the sites of former houses, previously derelict and demolished. The land use and zoning is for residential housing. As part of the Green Planning process, WBDC included these lots in the consultations to ascertain the interest in green space development on these sites. At the same time WBDC was also conducting an infill housing consultation to gauge the interest in different types of infill housing on these lots.
Based on the consultations an overall consensus emerged, which has been carefully considered and approved by the WBDC Board of Directors, for land use as the following:
1. 114 Langside: multi-unit housing (maximum 3 storeys) for those in core housing need.2. 128/130 Langside: conjoin the two lots into one lot for a combination multi-unit housing (maximum 3 storeys) for those in core housing need and community green space that reflects the feedback from the consultations for a community gathering green space combined with natural play space and possibly some small community garden plots. This will be a unique example of creatively including green space development into infill housing development. The dedicated green space on this lot will be part of the Green Plan for the neighbourhood.
3. 152 Langside (Boulder Park): this lot to continue to be dedicated as a multi-use community garden space and will be a part of the Green Plan for the neighbourhood. WBDC will be working with the gardeners on that site and the City of Winnipeg to seek long term approval for this type of land use on this residentially zoned lot. Boulder Park will be part of the Green Plan for the neighbourhood.
4. 248 Langside: multi-unit housing (maximum 3 storeys) for those in core housing need.
5. 279 Young: multi- unit housing (maximum 3 storeys) for those in core housing need.
Infill Housing Process:
The next steps on the infill housing development process are to solicit development applications by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to public and private housing developers for each of the four housing developments listed above. We are requesting the housing industry submit development plans for infill housing on each of the vacant lots: a conceptual building design, a business plan of construction costs and a model for property management and ownership. If you wish to learn more about this process, please contact Brian Grant, Housing Development Coordinator at 774-7201 x 2.
We appreciate your feedback on these important community development initiatives and we thank you for attending the Community Forum last November. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact WBDC at 774-7201×1 or info@westbroadway.mb.ca.
Thank you.
Saul Henteleff
Chair, Board of Directors
West Broadway Development Corporation
March 17, 2009
198 Sherbrook Community Consultation Design Charrette Report
The property was purchased with a grant from Neighbourhoods Alive! in 2001 by WBDC for use for a “community purpose” however that purpose had until now never been determined. Gardening has been taking place on that land by a small group of 10 – 20 people since prior to the land acquisition. The land is zoned for commercial use and WBDC pays the annual property and school taxes of $2,000, a cost that is not sustainable. WBDC has received many different inquiries for development of the land, and in an effort to include the various perspectives to develop a community vision for the land, held a Community Consultation Design Charrette March 28th and 29th, 2008 at the Misericordia Health Centre upper lounge.
How was the event advertised?
The event was advertised as follows: all Sherbrook gardeners with contact information on file were personally invited by telephone on February 8th, 2008; invitations were mailed to all West Broadway residents through Canada Post; the event was advertised in the February edition of the Broadcaster community newspaper; posters were placed throughout the neighbourhood; there was a large sign on the site itself; WBDC staff went door to door inviting people to the event; and a news release was sent to all media outlets. Every effort was made to be as inclusive as possible.
What took place at the Design Charrette?
Almost fifty community residents and stakeholders came together, shared their thoughts and learned more about development ideas that have long been discussed in our neighbourhood.
The event covered the history, demographics and needs of the neighbourhood. Participants created guided principles for the design of the site. Presentations were made on community gardens, social enterprise businesses, low-income housing, and mixed use developments undertaken in Winnipeg, elsewhere in Canada and abroad. Participants reflected on what was learned; had the opportunity to join in small groups to brainstorm their ideas; and to share them with the rest of the participants.
What are the outcomes of the Charrette?
The majority of participants (36/46) recommended mixed use development comprised of the following:
A building that includes:
a. housing units
b. community services
c. social enterprise business that serves the community
2. Public open space that includes:
a. community garden
b. gathering place
c. recreation space
Where can I see a copy of the 198 Sherbrook Street West Broadway Community Charrette?
Executive Summary available here (315 KB)
Full Report available here (1.8 MB)
Copies of the executive summary were mailed to all participants and the full 121 page report is available for a small cost to cover printing charges at the WBDC offices at 608 Broadway.
What are the next steps?
Much more work is needed to move ahead, including a feasibility study and architectural and landscape drawings for the site. The standard process to do this is to convene a Working Committee comprised of stakeholder groups willing to work collaboratively, constructively and respectfully together. WBDC will be establishing a Working Committee with one representative of each main user groups: community gardeners, social enterprise and low income housing, along with Board Members. The Working Committee will oversee the feasibility study and creation of architectural drawings. This process will likely take a year or longer to complete.
In the meantime WBDC will support the status quo community garden at 198 Sherbrook until the redevelopment is ready to be launched. WBDC staff supported the Sherbrook Street Community Garden committee during the 2008 and 2009 gardening seasons by paying the property tax and liability insurance, organizing meetings, registering all gardeners, working with the gardeners to create guidelines, rules and conflict mediation procedures in the garden, supporting and advertising events, funding for projects, water barrels, and benches. WBDC also supports three other community gardens in our neighbourhood and over 78 residents to garden in our community.
What about the Green Space Plan for West Broadway?
In the fall of 2008, WBDC organized a participatory process to develop a staged plan to develop green spaces in our neighbourhood. We acknowledge access to green spaces is an issue for our neighbourhood. The 198 Sherbrook site has been considered separately through the Design Charrette process and was not part of the green space planning process. More information about the Green Space Plan is available here.
Thank you to the funders of this community workshop: CED Technical Assistance, Neighbourhoods Alive! and the United Way of Winnipeg.