Last session before break promises lots of drama

WINNIPEG — You won't find 510 Main St. in the Winnipeg Fringe Festival program, but the council building may as well be known as Venue 24.

The final council meeting before the summer break is packed with contentious proposals bound to produce hours of political theatre. Here's what Winnipeg's elected officials will deal with today:

Act 1: Utility Possibility!

STARRING: Mayor Sam Katz, Fort Rouge Coun. Jenny Gerbasi and a chorus of unions and social activists. Comic relief provided by the Winnipeg Citizens Coalition.

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: Chief administrative officer Glen Laubenstein, utility development manager Bryan Gray and the private engineering firm that brought you Overbudget! The Story of the West End Water Pollution Control Centre.

THE PLOT: Tired of spending too much money on waste-water upgrades, a mid-sized Prairie city comes up with a plan to create a stand-alone agency to assume control of water, sewer, garbage and recycling services. But the mayor's efforts to sell the idea creates confusion, as a proposal to get in bed with a private company to complete sewage-plant upgrades upsets council and the public at large.

Now, competing motions are coming to the floor of council to try to bring everyone on side -- or delay the vote until September.

LANGUAGE WARNING: The last time this issue came to council, Speaker Harry Lazarenko refused to let any member of council utter the word "privatization." So mind your tongue.

Act 2: Let's Make A (Real Estate) Deal!

STARRING: City real estate managers, developer Andrew Marquess and Winnipeg Transit. IKEA, Waverley West, Manitoba Hydro and property developer Shindico appear in supporting roles.

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: Deputy chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl.

THE PLOT: Only nine days before council breaks for the summer, a $1-million land swap gets walked onto a closed-door council committee meeting and then squeaks its way past Mayor Sam Katz's cabinet. Now, city council must decide whether to approve a plan to give acres of unserviced city land in northwest Fort Garry to Andrew Marquess in exchange for a smaller parcel of serviced land next to the Fort Rouge Yards. The plan could lay the foundation for a 3,500-townhouse development, the extension of Sterling Lyon Parkway to Pembina Highway, a bus-rapid-transit spur line toward southwest Winnipeg and new commercial developments along Taylor Avenue. Public hearings must take place before any of this happens, but residents who live near the proposed development are upset.

RATED: W, for "Where the heck did this come from?"

Act 3: Little Orphan Annex

STARRING: The Grain Exchange Annex, property chairman Scott Fielding and an ultimately fruitless performance by the historical buildings committee.

THE PLOT: Heritage advocates want to protect the 89-year-old Grain Exchange Annex, a three-storey Lombard Avenue office building, from its owner, which wants to demolish the structure and build a parkade. But so far, council's property committee and executive policy committee have sided with the developer. The annex will be demolished, barring a last-minute reprieve at city council.

SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE: By would-be politician Regan Wolfrom, last seen arguing against the demolition of Kelvin Community Centre.

Act 4: The Two Towers ... of Whellams Lane

STARRING: Devonshire Properties, North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty and an angry mob of people who live in the shadow of Chief Peguis Lane.

THE PLOT: For two years, Vancouver's Devonshire Properties has been trying to add two apartment building to an existing complex called Edgewood Estates. That plan is finally poised to be approved by council, despite some continuing opposition from North Kildonan residents.

RATED: N, for NIMBY.

-- Bartley Kives

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 22, 2009 A3