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| Newly acquired lands, innovative plans: Competition | | Posted Wednesday, May 23, 2012 4:55 PM |
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| In 2011 the University of Manitoba took possession of the former Southwood Golf Course lands. The land comprises 120 acres on both sides of University Crescent and holds enormous potential for the university to build on a tradition of excellence, best practices and innovation. Over time, the U of M will create a transformative, sustainable, multi-use community space that will be a jewel in Winnipeg’s landscape.
In February, the university began working with stakeholders to build an understanding of how this unique 120-acre landscape can be planned for over time. The ideas garnered from the community will guide an International Urban Design Competition, for which urban planners, architects and landscape architects from around the world will be creating visionary design proposals based on this community-inspired blueprint.
The International Urban Design Competition will be held over the course of several months. However, actual physical development of the lands will not begin for at least two to three years, by which time the comprehensive Master Plan will be complete. In the interim, the university will make the lands available for passive recreational use.
Signage will be posted at all entrances with hours of use and restrictions listed. The lands can be used for recreational use, but not for organized events.
“For over 130 years the University of Manitoba has enjoyed being a part of this community. We are an institution with global but also local influence, and so we strive to be good neighbours. Through on-going dialogue with the area residents, the idea of sharing the property on an interim basis was strongly endorsed,” says Michelle Richard, director, Campus Planning Office.
The maintenance of the space will respect the university’s sustainability model of best practices so no pesticides, chemicals, irrigation, or fertilizers will be used on the land during this interim period.
Much of this project is being overseen by the Campus Planning Office (CPO), which was created last year by President David Barnard. The CPO guides the development of university properties, ensuring any development adheres to the university’s established vision of creating livable communities.
“We have an unprecedented opportunity to develop our properties to make the University of Manitoba and surrounding neighbourhoods even better places to live, to work and to study,” says Barnard. “The Campus Planning Office works with our partners to ensure we are leaders in quality, sustainable urban development.”
For more information about the various initiatives at the Campus Planning Office, please visit umanitoba.ca/campusplanning. A dedicated competition website will be launched in June 2012.
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| | | For more information, contact:
Sean Moore
Communications Officer
Marketing Communications Office
sean_moore@umanitoba.ca
Phone: (204) 474-7963
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