More home ownership improving William Whyte, residents say

The peoplewho live on Alfred Avenue are sick of stereotypes.

The street spans across William Whyte, a rectangular patch of the North End, and has been mentioned several times in news stories of violence and crime.

But neighbours on the street say it's a family-oriented place to live, and that more home ownership has improved the area over the years.

According to data from the 2016 Census, the majority of homes in William Whyte are occupied by renters. But many families have been able to buy their houses through different programs that offer incentives to choose that neighbourhood.

CBC met with three residents who live on Alfred Avenue to hear their stories.

Astrid Lichtee

Astrid Lichtee's roots are quite literally in William Whyte. She owns and runs Cosmopolitan Florists on the corner of Pritchard Avenue and Main Street. The family business has been there since the '60s, and Lichtee says she wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

"My heart is here," she said.

Lichtee bought her house on Alfred Avenue 27 years ago through the Winnipeg Core Area Initiative, which no longer exists. She received a grant for low-income residents that offered a 20 per cent down payment and money for closing costs.

In her time on Alfred Avenue, Lichtee said she's seen several programs help others buy their own homes, which she says has changed the neighbourhood.

"We had a lot of gang houses. We had two crack houses on the same block," she said.

"Now, most of the homes on the street are families. They clean their yards, they sweep the sidewalks, they rake the leaves. They're not partying until 4 a.m. on the stoop."

Lichtee is now raising her seven-year-old son in her home, just minutes away from the family business. She said other Winnipeggers don't realize that residents in William Whyteare incrediblydiverse.

"Anything north of the tracks has always been a melting pot," she said. Whether it was the Russians, the Germans, the Polish. It still is a melting pot, whether people are coming from Somalia, Eritrea, East India or the Philippines. There's a real sense of community here. You might have to dig a little deeper, but it's here. And it's strong."

Nancy Jimenez

It's a family affair in William Whyte for Nancy Jimenez. When she moved to Winnipeg from Columbia more than a decade ago, Jimenez and her brothers were able to buy houses on Alfred Avenue thanks to the North End Housing Project.

"It wasn't a very good neighbourhood, so the government was giving a deal of paying half the price of the house, but the condition was to be here for 10 years," she said.

Now on year 11, Jimenez said she understands there's crime in the area, but the majority of people aren't involved.

"I see my neighbours. They work, they're families, their kids go to school. It's regular life, regular people."

Jimenez said her biggest frustration with the neighbourhood doesn't actually involve the area at all it's other people's perceptions.

"There are a few families who have problems, but it's not all families," she said.

"I have family here, I have friends here, and I have neighbours who are good people. It would be crazy to say there are no problems here, but there are good people. So please don't stereotype."

Cliff Warren

A true "North Ender," Cliff Warren has lived in the neighbourhood for his entire life. He raised his six children in his home on Alfred Avenue, and is now raising two grandchildren.

"They've all gone to school, graduated, they have good jobs," he said.

"Everybody's perception of the North End is everybody doesn't work, they're on social assistance. But there are a lot of hard-working people in this area. It's no different than anywhere else in Winnipeg."

Warren and his wife bought their house through a Habitat for Humanity program 17 years ago. Over the past few years, he said he's noticed more criminal activity around, but thatall depends on who lives there.

"I'm not knocking rental properties, but some of the landlords aren't diligent," he said.

"There's a house on the corner, a constant trouble house. But now that a new owner owns it, he's got good people in there because he screens his tenants."

It's important to keep a sense of community, Warren said. If everyone gets involved in the well-being of the area, then trouble usually doesn't come around.

And if it does, Warren has a prevention tool.

"I've chased people out of my yard. My wife thinks I'm crazy for doing that, but they don't come back," he said.

"Idon't want to let them win. This is our area, and you need to leave."