Osborne named Canada's greatest neighbourhood

Winnipeg's Osborne Village has been named Canada's greatest neighbourhood.

The title was bestowed by the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) on Thursday, as part of an annualcontest to "recognize the special places that Canadians love most."

More than 200,000 votes were received in the second Great Places in Canada contest. The originalfield of 90 nominations, sent in by the public, was weaned to a short list of 21 bya panel of professional planners.

The entries were divided into three categories: public spaces, neighbourhoods, streets.

The long listof public spaces included Manitoba's Hecla Provincial Park and Churchill, along with Winnipeg's Assiniboine Forest .

Winnipeg's downtown corner of Portage and Main made the long list in the streets category and Winnipeg's St. Boniface got as far as the short list for greatest neighbourhood.

Osborne Street also made the long list for the streets category. Though it wasn't chosen by the CIP, it did win a People's Choice award for the number of votes it received.

The winners of the main awards were chosen by a panel ofjudges based on popularity as well as "planning excellence," according to the CIP.

"So many great places were nominated," Jill Collinson, one of the judges, stated in a press release.

"We had quality entries from big cities, small towns and all spaces in between. Urban, rural, commercial, residential, greenspace, historic, modernthere was a bit of everything."

Osborne Village was noted for its strong urban character that includesan array of shops, turn-of-the-century buildings, diverse population, gathering places (parks and plazas),andGas Station performing arts theatre.

With 8,000 people living in the 231-acre neighbourhood, Osborne Village has thedensest urban setting in Winnipeg andone of the most dense in western Canada, whichmakes it a vibrant area and aplace that "evokes a strong sense of ownership in its residents."

It is also one that is well connected with 16 bus routes anda lengthypedestrian network.

In addition to the grand winners, three locations weregiven People's Choice awards, based solely on the number ofvotes received.