This spring after some disruption due to the Covid-19 situation, the UM’s road renewal program will continue with the reconstruction of Dafoe Road. Here’s what you can expect as part of the project.

Construction schedule

Dafoe Road reconstruction will be the most impactful project of the 2020 road renewal work. Construction crews have started construction work.

Travel on Dafoe Road will be affected by the construction and for most of the summer, and Dafoe Road between MacLean Crescent and University Crescent will be closed to all traffic.

Westbound traffic will be allowed between Gillson Street and MacLean Crescent for the duration of construction.

Road closures will affect some parking lots and may cause turning or access restrictions on streets adjacent to Dafoe Rd. All closures and interruptions will be communicated through UM Today and be listed on the UM Service Disruption Page.

Why is this happening?

The design of this road is informed by the Visionary (re)Generation master plan for Fort Garry campus. Within the plan, Dafoe Rd. is preserved as a heritage corridor, while serving as a key transit route and pedestrian-friendly street through the core of campus. The Pedestrian and Cycling Plan for the Fort Garry campus also recommends traffic calming to better facilitate shared use of the street between cars, cyclists and pedestrians, while prioritizing pedestrian movement and enhancing safety of the public spaces.

See more: Dafoe Road Landscape Schematis (pdf).

The redesign maintains and enhances green spaces and landscaping in front of the buildings along Dafoe Road, while enhancing the heritage character of the tree-lined promenade. Enhancements such as at-grade pedestrian crossings and expansion of pedestrian zones where possible will establish Dafoe Rd. as the main multi-use street on campus. 

Five-year road renewal plan

The Dafoe Road reconstruction is the third year of a five-year road renewal plan. This plan was based on recommendations from a road condition assessment of the current Fort Garry Campus road network, approximately 22,935 linear feet of roads (excluding Smart Park). Roads, primarily asphalt-surface except for a small portion that is a mix of concrete and asphalt topping, are in various states of disrepair, and the assessment included strategic repairs and renewals.

Recommendations prioritize roads nearing severe degradation, to the point of significantly affecting commutes. Whenever possible, roadworks projects are planned to include repairs to other services as required, such as electrical, sewer, and water.

See the map below for an overview of the five year plan.

Projects in various stages for 2020 construction include:

1. Dafoe Road (University Crescent – Gillson Street)

• Road closures will affect traffic, up to date information on the service disruption page

2. Saunderson Street/Dysart Road Multi-Use Pathway

• Minimum Traffic Disruptions, work completed adjacent to roadway

3. Freedman Crescent (Saunderson Street – Service Street 7)

• Road closures will affect traffic, up to date information on the service disruption page

4. University Crescent/Dafoe Intersection

• Minimum Traffic Disruptions, work concentrated to the median

Road projects completed since 2018:

• Saunderson Street 
• Freedman Crescent (Service Street 7 – Kings Drive)
• University Crescent (Chancellor Matheson – Dafoe Road)

Additional information

Construction timelines are weather-dependent. Milestone dates are flexible and subject to change. For schedule updates during construction, visit the University of Manitoba’s Service Disruption Page.

Should you have any questions, please contact Emily Sinclair, project manager, Architectural & Engineering Services, Physical Plant, at Emily [dot] Sinclair [at] umanitoba [dot] ca

The significant redevelopment, which will take place over the next few years, will include the arborist-recommended removal of the rows of post-mature golden willow (Salix alba ‘Vitellina’) along the transportation corridor. The trees are in late-life decay and have been exhibiting these signs for over a decade.

The willows are expected to be removed at the end of April. According to University of Manitoba Arborist, the willows on Saunderson Street “all, without exception, display the common patterns of decline associated with this species. The species typically exhibits fast growth, but a short life.”

The trees no longer possess structural integrity or stability and continue to pose a hazard to the campus community.

Willows on Sanderson Street, Fort Garry campus ring road.

Willows detail.

Willow detail.

“The willows are filled with dead and dying limbs, split branches and large cavities, as well as decayed and leaning trunks,” he explains. Regular maintenance can no longer keep up with the rates of decline and remediation efforts have ceased. Due to their condition and for safety reasons, they have been recommended for removal.

Other species of trees in the area include, among others, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), basswood (Tilia americana), little-leaf linden (Tilia cordata), and amur maple (Acer ginnala). A number of these trees will also be removed because of continued decline resulting from disease, and the harsh growing conditions posed by steep slopes and poor soil conditions. All tree removals will commence at the end of April.

‘Green Corridor’

The Saunderson Street transformation is an opportunity to create a unique landscape at the Fort Garry campus. As identified in the Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan’s open space framework, Saunderson/Dysart is envisioned as a “Green Corridor.”

Dysart-Saunderson Redevelopment conceptual plan.

Purple prairie clover is a common forb planted in native grass mixes.

The area improvement, which will take place over five years, will integrate an enhanced public space with a “complete streets” approach that is safe, convenient, and comfortable travel for all users and transportation modes. Elements will be phased in over time, such as active transportation infrastructure and features of our native Manitoba landscape. The scenic character of this iconic corridor will include a future multi-use path lined with a variety of trees, rooted in native forbs (herbaceous flowering plants) and grasses, and punctuated with feature plantings and site furnishings.

Redevelopment implements Indigenous planning and design principles, sustainable biodiversity

The Saunderson/Dysart landscape will feature a native revegetation project, to start this spring/summer with site preparation and weed control work over the first two years and final native planting in the spring of 2020. Future enhancement will be phased in through the coming years. The redevelopment project will implement the University’s Indigenous Planning and Design Principles, which includes a ceremonial component.

A native grass planting in Winnipeg roughly 8 years after planting.

Native prairie plantings, when planned and implemented properly, require significantly less ongoing maintenance and are considered a more sustainable alternative to conventional plantings. The revegetation will complement adjacent natural areas on campus and contribute to local native biodiversity.

The enhancement of the eastern transportation corridor will create a new “working landscape” as part of the long-term plan for the campus. This gateway to the riverbottom forest and future learning landscape of the Point Lands will transform over time, providing education and engagement for numerous faculties as well as a new recreation destination for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Should you have any questions or concerns please contact: Vanessa Jukes, MALA, CSLA, PMP, project manager and landscape architect, Architectural & Engineering Services, Physical Plant, at Vanessa.Jukes@umanitoba.ca

Projected as part of the 2016 Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan, board directors are now being sought for UM Properties GP Inc., which will develop the former Southwood Golf Course land acquired by the University of Manitoba in 2008. Developing the Southwood Lands is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform a university into a place like no other that enhances the daily lives of all who learn here, work here, play here or call it home.
 
The possibilities are exciting, says Andrew Konowalchuk, associate vice-president (administration). He and his team have been instrumental in the extensive consultation and development process of the Visionary (re)Generation project.

He says, “As the Visionary (re)Generation Plan is refined and realized in consultation with all of our community stakeholders, we look forward to the development of this new mixed-use community as a multifaceted expression of the university’s linkages with the city.”
 
The corporation will operate under a new legal structure, a hybrid Limited Partnership and Trust, approved by the Board of Governors in June 2016. Under this structure and with a board of directors appointed by the Board of Governors, UM Properties GP Inc. will develop the lands in a manner consistent with the principles articulated in the Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan.
 
The principles entail that the development be: connected; a destination, sustainable; a community; an example of Indigenous design and planning; and transformative.
 
“The inaugural Board of Directors of UM Properties GP Inc. will have an extraordinary opportunity to contribute to the transformation of the campus and our city and province,” says President and Vice-Chancellor David Barnard.

“This new, transformative, mixed-use community will meet the needs of the University’s future in a way that recognizes the Indigenous reality of Manitoba, integrates with surrounding communities, and supports environmental and resource sustainability.”
 
The founding board selection committee comprises three members of the Board’s Governance and Nominating Committee, named by the Chair, and members of the University administration. It will search, recruit and recommend to the Board of Governors the Board of Directors of UM Properties GP Inc.

See more here: https://www.odgersberndtson.com/en-ca/opportunities/

This infrastructure is the first interim step in a series of pedestrian and cycling improvements to be developed at the Fort Garry campus. Sidney Smith Street is part of the newly realigned Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail) running through our Fort Garry campus. The trail is also part of the University of Manitoba’s exciting Visionary (re)Generation Campus Master Plan to develop Sidney Smith over time into a campus village street accessing new development in the Southwood Lands.

The new portion of the Great Trail route enters campus from Southwood Lands at Sidney Smith Street, passing by the University’s UMCycle Bike Kiosk and Cycle Plaza before exiting at the intersection of Freedman Crescent and Kings Drive.

The improvements are new and it is important to pay close attention to your surrounding as the campus community adapts to this change. Here are some helpful tips to using the new lanes:

• Pedestrians walk on the furthest west lane which is marked with a pedestrian symbol
• Cyclists ride on the lanes indicated which are marked with a cycling symbol
• Pedestrians have the right-of-way. Vehicles should stop for pedestrians signalling their intention to cross.
• Cyclists crossing Sifton Road at Sidney Smith Street should cross at the high visibility green bike lane. This paint and signage requires that cyclists stop before riding across Sifton Road and yield to vehicles. Cyclists do not need to dismount when crossing at the green intersection.
• Whether you are a pedestrian, cyclist or driver, exercise caution to keep everyone safe.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during the construction and opening of these interim upgrades to the area. If you have any further questions or comments, please comment below or email sustainability@umanitoba.ca.

The University of Manitoba unveiled a new master plan for development last week, along with a set of “Indigenous design and planning principles” to help guide the school’s land use.

This document will guide the physical development of the Fort Garry campus over an approximately 30-year horizon, and is based on over two years of engagement and collaboration with students, staff, faculty, and administration, along with neighbourhood residents and other community stakeholders. The U of M’s Senate and Board of Governors approved the final draft in April.

To recognize this milestone and learn more about the plan, you are invited to attend.

Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan Open House

September 29 and 30

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Multi-Purpose Room 214-220, 2^nd Floor University Centre

Project representatives will be on hand on Sept. 29 to chat and answer any questions. On September 30, display boards will remain set up for come-and-go viewing.

This event will present the key features of the plan, from the overall vision and principles, to the more detailed guidelines in areas such as built form and land use, open space, and transportation.

The event will also formally present the University’s new Indigenous Design and Planning Principles. Formed collaboratively under the guidance of an Indigenous Advisory Committee and Subcommittee as part of the Visionary (re)Generation planning process, these principles have been established to help guide planning and design on all University campuses and lands.

For more information on the Visionary (re)Generation planning process, visit:

http://umanitoba.ca/campusplanning/

http://www.visionaryregeneration.com

Last March in an update on UM Today, the University and surrounding community were invited to an open house to view a conceptual draft of the master plan and provide feedback on it. In June 2015, this draft concept was presented to the Senate Planning and Priorities Committee, Senate, and the Board of Governors for information and comment.

As a result of feedback heard through these forums, in addition to input from prior community engagement over the past two years, the consultant team developed a preliminary document version of the master plan. This document was sent for comment to the range of University committees, working groups and units dedicated to this project, including the campus planning and design committee, a University planning working group, an energy & sustainability performance management subcommittee, an Indigenous advisory committee and subcommittee, physical plant, the campus planning office, and the University’s sustainability committee. Students, staff, faculty, community members were all represented within these groups, along with experts in various fields from Manitoba Hydro, the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba. Input provided by these groups was integrated into the document before it was presented for final University approvals.

“The approved Fort Garry Campus Master Plan represents a shared vision for a campus in which our community experience and student life are enhanced and strengthened, ensuring that our goals and values as a University community are reflected in the campus environment. We thank the entire University community for its active participation in this process,” says President and Vice-Chancellor David Barnard.

The plan also provides more detailed guidelines on physical campus development in areas such as land use, open spaces and landscape, buildings, transportation and streets.

Open houses to present the final document are being planned for the fall and will be widely advertised. All members of the University community are invited to attend. All are encouraged to visit visionaryregeneration.com and umanitoba.ca/campusplanning for more details on the plan, the engagement process and this planning project overall.

Stage 2 of the transitway will extend south to the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus and Investor’s Group Field. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2016, with completion in late 2019. Operations on the new transitway are expected to commence in April 2020.

The University leadership has supported the extension of rapid bus transit from the beginning. The transitway will provide students, faculty and staff a fast, safe and environmentally sustainable means of transit, making it more more accessible to visitors for sporting events, concerts, gallery exhibits, public lectures at the Fort Garry campus.

Removal of designated trees needs to be done prior to the nesting season of migratory birds to mitigate potential impacts of a later removal; a bid opportunity has already been issued for the preparatory work. Trees within a buffer area between the Fairway Woods condominiums and the transitway will remain, pending a final landscape design for the buffer area and for the balance of the transitway in the vicinity. Trees being removed will be recycled for use as local lumber where possible and remaining trees or brush will be recycled as chip material.

The University has conducted a tree inventory and is developing a tree replacement and planting plan. The plan will be developed in accordance with the open space framework policy of the Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan, focusing on prominent public spaces that will improve the pedestrian experience on campus. Cost of trees will be reimbursed through the City, and put towards the replanting strategy.

More information about the planned transitway can be found in the Q+A below and in this Winnipeg Transit Open House Presentation from May 2015.

Q+A

When does construction for the Southwest Transitway Corridor Phase 2 project begin?
The contract for the final design is expected before summer 2016 and the start of construction will follow.

Why is the City of Winnipeg removing trees on University of Manitoba property?
The University of Manitoba has given the City of Winnipeg permission to remove designated trees as part of the Transitway agreement.

Why and when do the trees need to be removed?
Designated tree removals are required to clear a path for the transitway corridor and active transportation pathway. Since the alignment for the transitway has been confirmed, initial ground preparations can begin to take place in advance of the detailed design of the transitway components. It is important for this clearing to be undertaken prior to the spring thaw to avoid disruption to any nesting birds that may be making their way through in the months to come and prior to any spring growth on the adjacent trees.

What are the plans for disposal of the removed trees?
Trees that have been removed will be considered individually for salvage as a local lumber product, and the remaining materials used for recycled chip product.

How will trees be replaced and replanted?
The U of M has conducted a tree inventory and is developing a replacement plan and tree-planting strategy in accordance with the Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan, focusing on prominent public spaces that will improve the pedestrian experience on campus. Cost of trees to be removed and replanted will be reimbursed through an agreement with the City.

HOW IT STARTED: The tour—called Jane’s Walk—was held May 2, 2015, and was part of an international movement created by the late Jane Jacobs, a Toronto author and urban planner. Jacobs envisioned communities coming together through free, walking conversations in their neighbourhoods, led by people who call it home. The U of M’s Office of Sustainability figured a ‘Jane’s Walk’ would be a good fit to share ideas from the Visionary (re)Generation Design Competition. This open international design competition invited some of the world’s most accomplished urban thinkers to re-imagine the Fort Garry campus and the adjacent Southwood Lands.

THE GOAL: To share information and stories, and provide an opportunity for dialogue about green features at the university today, as well as ideas being proposed as part of the Visionary (re)Generation campus master planning process.

HOW IT WORKED: Participants toured the mixed-use design for the campus with its integrated public spaces and public transportation access. The walk leaders also discussed current sustainability programs on campus involving energy conservation, food production and green buildings.

WHY IT’S IMPORANT: “The idea [behind the walk] is to create a sense of place within the community and instigate conversations and ideas among citizens who have a desire to invest in the future of their neighborhood or the city as a whole,” says Ian Hall, director of the Office of Sustainability.

NEXT STEPS: “The success of the first University of Manitoba-led Jane’s Walk has us looking forward to engaging the community further in the coming years, and proudly showing—through dynamic discussions and walks—how the campus evolves each year,” Hall says.

SUPPORTERS: Jane’s Walk Winnipeg

LEARN MORE

• Jane’s Walk Winnipeg

To see the impact the University of Manitoba has on the global community take a look at this map. If you have a community-minded story to tell, please do so by submitting your story here.

Dear Colleagues:

I am writing to provide an update on the Visionary (re)Generation planning project currently underway to develop a new Master Plan for the Fort Garry Campus and surrounding lands. I would also like to invite you to a come-and-go Open House on March 26, 2015 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM in the Engineering Atrium. This event will present the latest draft concept of the Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan, and will also be an opportunity for community members to provide feedback to further inform the development of the final draft.

Over the past year, since the close of the Visionary (re)Generation Open International Design Competition, the University has been working with the competition-winning team, in collaboration with University and community stakeholders, to develop the new Master Plan. So far the planning process has included over 800 people and close to 60 different consultation meetings and events, building on the extensive engagement that took place prior to and during the Competition.

All of this work (including the feedback heard at previous Open House events in March and October 2014) has resulted in the formation of a draft plan, which is being presented for further community input at the Open House on March 26. The feedback heard at this Open House will be an important input in the final phase of planning work – the formation of the final version of the Visionary (re)Generation Master Plan anticipated in Fall 2015. This completed Master Plan will be a flexible, living document, subject to periodic review and reevaluation over time.

The draft plan shown at the open house will also be submitted to the Senate Planning & Priorities Committee, Senate, and the Board of Governors for information and comment this spring. The final plan will be submitted for approval once completed.

I would like to thank university students, faculty, and staff as well as members of the broader community for your input to date. I  look forward to your continued collaboration, and to your anticipated feedback at the upcoming Open House.

We look forward to seeing you at the event.
Paul Kochan, Vice-President (Administration)