Advocates seek to shift civic attention to Sumka Forest

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This article was published 22/12/2023 (654 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As Winnipeg city council ponders the future of Lemay Forest, an extended push to save another local wooded area continues.

For more than a decade, advocates have lobbied multiple governments to buy the privately owned land at 36 and 88 Sumka Rd. in the St. Vital Perimeter South area.

“Sumka Forest is the last high-quality riparian forest left in the Seine River corridor… It’s (a) major wooded ecosystem that has been relatively untouched by human encroachment,” said Ryan Palmquist, managing director of environmental non-profit group Save Our Seine.

Palmquist said the land in question has been up for sale “mostly continuously” for several years.

If it does become publicly owned, he said trails could be added in the future, ideally with a link to Vermette Park.

That south Winnipeg park’s project manager said he’d also like to see a public purchase of the land, which would translate pledges to preserve and increase green space into action.

“The government has made promises to purchase or to regenerate land… So, there’s a lot of talk (so far), but no walk,” said Georges Beaudry.

Ideally, supporters hope to save the 62-acre property that contains about 20 acres of forest, along with farm space and some buildings.

In addition to preserving the trees, some of the land could be restored as tall grass prairie, Beaudry suggested. “There’s so many possibilities. Just saving it from the bulldozer is the most important thing.”

City council considered a motion to buy the Sumka property in 2019, which was listed for sale for $3.6 million at the time, but ultimately took no action.

The land’s owner could not be reached Friday for comment.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) has long supported the potential purchase.

“To have something major like that to leave behind for future generations, that would be amazing,” said Mayes, suggesting the site could become a park.

While it raises potential concerns the purchase could trigger other requests for the city to buy green space, this particular property is unique, the councillor said.

“We can’t buy every piece of land and turn it into a park. But this is a forest and I don’t know how much of that we have left.”

Mayes said the province hasn’t shared a final answer, after a summer pledge from the then-Progressive Conservative government sparked hope a grant could help fund the project.

On Aug. 2, the Tories announced a $1.5-million grant to acquire privately owned land “with unique natural ecosystems and habitats in the Winnipeg area” to preserve green space.

On Oct. 3, the NDP secured a majority government in the provincial election.

In an email Friday, NDP Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt said conservation is a priority.

“We are always open to hearing proposals from community members and collaborating with other levels of government to protect urban forests. We are carefully reviewing projects underway by the previous government to ensure they are in the best interest of Manitobans,” said Schmidt.

Meanwhile, St. Norbert residents are continuing their push to protect the privately owned 22.5-acre Lemay Forest from development.

Coun. Markus Chambers said he believes the $1.5-million provincial grant could be used to help purchase Lemay, instead of Sumka.

“(There’s been) robust discussion with a variety of different stakeholders… No final decision yet, but we’re cautiously optimistic that a deal can get done.”

However, Chambers said a sale price for Lemay has yet to be determined and government due diligence is still underway.

Efforts ramped up after land owner Tochal Development Group said it planned to finalize housing plans in spring 2024.

Tochal said it would consider purchase offers for the site, but also noted it won’t put development plans on hold indefinitely.

On Jan. 11, council’s property and development committee is expected to vote on a motion that would direct city staff to negotiate a price for the Lemay Forest site and refer its potential purchase to the ongoing budget process.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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