Cities need to overcome the fear of the first step in change |
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham leads dignitaries across the city’s historic Portage and Main intersection after it reopened in June. Other Canadian cities can learn lessons from what happened in Winnipeg.Shannon VanRaes/The Globe and Mail
The sky not falling doesn’t normally warrant a news story. But Winnipeg recently saw a flurry of these headlines when it became clear that the most divisive municipal decision in years had caused no problems.
Contrary to concerns about cataclysmic traffic if the intersection of Portage and Main was opened to pedestrians, the actual impact was, well, almost nil.
This result is encouraging, but also frustrating that the change was blocked for so long. Too often fear gets in the way of doing – or even trying – the right thing.
All cities can learn the lessons of what happened in Winnipeg. One, leaders must fight the natural bias towards not changing things. Because, two, the doom-and-gloomers are not necessarily right. Three, the future is a slippery thing to try to forecast. But also, four, there’s cost to doing nothing.
Listening to the most pessimistic voices can mean homes not built, a daycare facility not allowed, parks not installed or a bicycle lane not approved.