Waterford Green: Winnipeg's walkable community

Spanning 160 acres and incorporating a village centre, green spaces, and a lake, Waterford Green was designed to be a walkable community. "There's a way finding road system," explains David Palubeski, president and principle planner for Lombard North Group, project manager for the development. "No more getting lost in a maze of dead end avenues or multi-exit streets. There's an outer loop and an inner loop, with lots of space for pedestrians, bikes, and vehicles."

Phases one and two of the development have been completed, and a third phase is planned. "We anticipated taking seven years from start to finish, "Palubeski explains, "but we figure the project will be finished in four." When finished, the planned community will have room to house around 1,200 families in a mix of single residential houses, condos, and townhomes.

Palubeski is proud of the fact that Waterford Green is a result of close collaboration with both the City of Winnipeg and the existing surrounding neighbourhoods. "We were the first development to proceed under the city's new collaborative approach," says Palubeski. "The process involves the developer taking the lead with the city providing support, advice, and feedback through a committee. We really appreciated the input from the city's planners and the way they were willing to look at things from different angles and consider new concepts and ideas. The whole thing has been a positive experience."

Surrounded by two existing mature neighbourhoods, Palubeski says it was important to meet with those residents and get their feedback. "Because Waterford Green is a substantial project – we are introducing another 1,200 families into the area – we wanted to involve the existing communities. We held workshops and town hall meetings over a six- to eight-month period and involved between 1,200 and 1,400 people to make sure they understood what we were doing and that they had a place to air any concerns or suggestions."

With its walkable streets, good connectivity to both downtown and a business park providing employment opportunities, Waterford Green provides many of the amenities that the city envisaged in its "Our Winnipeg" plan.

"And it's not just about the location," Palubeski notes. "We incorporated environmentally sustainable ideas and looked to place homes with the best orientation for solar exposure to take advantage of Winnipeg's limited winter sunshine. Waterford Green has been designed as a complete community in every respect."

Photos by: Leah Watkins