Park corridor cost-prohibitive: report

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This article was published 04/11/2021 (1449 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NO green space corridor is planned for the area around Little Mountain Park.

In April, Coun. Brian Mayes championed a call to explore how a new corridor could protect the city-owned park in the Rural Municipality of Rosser against development, which could include buying private land south of the park. Council agreed to study the idea.

However, a public service report has concluded the corridor is not a priority, given its potential cost and other green space needs within city limits.

“The acquisition of additional park lands in this particular area was determined not to be a priority by the public service. There are a number of other significant natural area lands within the city that should be acquired first,” writes David Domke, the city’s parks and open space manager, in the report.

If a green corridor were added in the area, it should connect to an active transportation route that currently ends on Inkster Boulevard at Inksbrook Drive, the report notes. The city doesn’t have an exact estimate on what that pathway extension would cost but would need private land for it that could come with a “significant” cost, the report says.

Mayes said he agrees competing budget priorities for green space could make the project difficult to pursue.

“This corridor idea would be great but… if the admin says we’ve got some other priorities, certainly I think there’s some land along the Seine River I would love to see the city pick up,” he said.

The St. Vital councillor said he’s been reassured the city isn’t interested in allowing the park to be redeveloped, since it recently spent $350,000 to renovate its shelter and washrooms.

“I’m a little disappointed (about the corridor) but I think we have done good work at Little Mountain… I don’t think anyone’s talking anymore about putting a road through Little Mountain Park,” said Mayes.

In 2013, a proposal suggested a Chief Peguis Trail extension could cut through Little Mountain’s northwest corner, raising concerns the park could be replaced. Those plans have since changed.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga