Winnipeg Free Press > Local > Heritage park deal nearly done

Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Heritage park deal nearly done

Upper Fort Garry group delayed by deed to historic gate

By: Bartley Kives

14/04/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 3

DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS 080228 Dr. Jerry Gray with Metis flag Upper Fort Garry.

Enlarge Image

DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS 080228 Dr. Jerry Gray with Metis flag Upper Fort Garry.

The Friends of Upper Fort Garry say they've cleared most of the legal and financial hurdles in the way of a heritage park at Winnipeg's birthplace, but the city and province remain at odds over at least one aspect of the $12.5-million deal.

One year ago last month, the volunteer Friends convinced the City of Winnipeg and apartment builder Crystal Developers to walk away from a deal to create a residential tower at Fort Street and Assiniboine Avenue, just outside the former footprint of Upper Fort Garry.

City councillors granted the Friends the right to develop a heritage park on both this piece of land and a larger parcel of surplus city property alongside Main Street, provided the volunteer group raise $10 million within two years and also strike a deal to buy Fort Street's Grain Exchange Curling Club, which also stands over part of the former fort.

One year later, the Friends say they've reached a deal to buy the club, have raised the money in question and have also responded to a subsequent city grilling about how much of their fundraising pledges amount to actual cash, as opposed to services in kind.

The group is now trying to settle technical issues stemming from the arcane deed to Upper Fort Garry gate, the sole remaining section of the fur trade-era fort, said spokesman Jerry Gray.

"It's taken a lot longer than I thought it would, but when you're dealing with property that's more than 100 years old, a number of issues come to the surface," Gray said.

He says the group is "quite close" to formally meeting all of its commitments to the city and have raised more than their $10-million short-term target.

"We're going to raise more. We just stopped because we wanted to get (the title to) the property," Gray said.

City officials said they expect the Upper Fort Garry deal will be completed within months, if not weeks.

"I don't think there are a lot of hurdles left," said St. James Coun. Scott Fielding, city council's property chairman. "It's generally heading in the right direction."

But Point Douglas Coun. Mike Pagtakhan, who chairs council's downtown development committee, said the city remains concerned about the timeline for the land becoming a provincial park, a move that will have financial implications for both levels of government.

"For this thing to happen, it needs funding," Pagtakhan said. "The real story is the provincial park designation. That's the final piece."

The city would prefer to see the province take over the land as soon as possible, as Winnipeg receives grants in lieu of property taxes for Crown land located inside city limits.

The province, however, would prefer to see the Friends take over the land first.

"We're in active discussions with the city and the Friends on timing that best suits the project," a spokesman for the Doer government said in a statement on Monday.

"The land will then be transferred to the Friends of Upper Fort Garry, who will develop the site over the next few years, following which it will be transferred to the province so that it may be designated a provincial park."

Manitoba would provide operating funds for the heritage park once it attains provincial park status, the spokesman added.

Gray, the Friends' spokesman, said he wasn't aware of the discussion about the park's status.

No development has taken place on the Upper Fort Garry site since city council's downtown development committee awarded Friends the right to complete their fundraising plan one year ago.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 14, 2009 B1

  • Rate this Rate This Star Icon
  • This article is currently rated an average of 5 out of 5 (1 votes).

    • We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

    You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

    Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

3 Commentscomment icon

actually there is a reason - there are a million empty lots in downtown winnipeg, not next to historic sites, where apartments could be erected.

Celebrating our history. Another downtown tourist attraction. Great for Winnipeg.

avatar

There is no reason there couldn't have been an apartment building next to this heritage park.

(You know, it is possible to have more than one thing on a given city block.)

The comment period for this story has ended.

letters

Make text: Larger | Smaller

Special coverage

Poll

Would you pay more to supersize your garbage bin?

View Results