Future Exchange District cultural hub gets $4 million federal kickstart
Market Lands development on site of old Public Safety Building moves from planning to building
It has been years in the planning phase, but a $4 million contribution from the federal government is launching the start of development on the site of Winnipeg's old Public Safety Building.
The 20,000 square foot Market Lands facility will house four arts organizations — Creative Manitoba, Mentoring Artists for Women's Art (MAWA), the Urban Shaman gallery and Video Pool Media Arts Centre.
The arts spaces will occupy the first and second floors of a 10-storey building on the property. The goal is to fill the rest of the building with 102 units of affordable housing.
The announcement means the groups will have modern dedicated spaces and a sense of stability they haven't felt to this point, says MAWA's co-executive director, Shawna Dempsey.
"This is a place where MAWA can put down roots and grow and thrive without that fear ... or insecurity hanging over us," Dempesy said on a Zoom announcement with city and federal politicians.
"What is now just an empty space in the middle of the historic Exchange District will soon become a beacon for Winnipeg's artists and creators, a welcoming public destination in this vibrant neighborhood and an important part of Winnipeg's economy," said MP Terry Duguid on behalf of the federal Liberal government.
The old police headquarters building and adjoining parkade were torn down last year after the Winnipeg Police Service had vacated the building in 2016.
Since then the city's development arm, CentreVenture, has been working on a project for the land.
CentreVenture CEO Angela Mathieson says the economic heart of the Exchange District has changed over time, and the Market Lands project reflects the current status of the neighborhood.
"When we look at the buildings and the Exchange District, we're reminded of the first half of the last century and Winnipeg's mercantile and grain trading history. But for the last 60 years, the arts and creative sector has been the defining element of this neighborhood," Mathieson said on the Zoom call.
CentreVenture has applied for funding under the national housing strategy to complete the residential component of the project, and Mathieson said she was "really confident at this stage in the process" approval from the federal government would come soon.
"Our plan is to begin construction in the spring of 2022 and maybe even some parts this fall if we can get that going quick enough," Mathieson said.
The second phase of Market Lands would see a smaller building Mathieson describes as an "incubator for the sale and production of local products, food and art and design projects."
Construction on that building won't begin until 2023.
