Councillor joins community effort to make vacant Sherburn lot permanent green space

People living near a vacant lot in the West End are one step closer to seeing the land permanently preserved as a neighbourhood green space, after successfully defeating a city proposal to transform the property into supportive housing.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy has recommended the property, located at 546 Sherburn St., be rezoned from a residential two-family lot to a green space reserved for parks and recreation.

The move comes after people living near the vacant lot stepped forward to oppose its development, arguing the space had become an informal community park used by families and children.

That group successfully petitioned the property and development committee in October to reverse course on the plan to build a multi-storey housing unit intended for people with housing challenges.

“It was a cool exercise in local democracy. With everything else going on in the world, it was really cool that government heard a little group of ordinary citizens with a concern. We were able to change the course of events there,” said area resident Matt Salo.

“Truly, that was the gratifying thing of going through that entire process. As annoying as it was, as taxing as it was — we were heard,” Salo said.

He said he reached out to Gilroy’s office f0llowing the October committee meeting, asking her to move to rezone the lot to protect it from future development.

Gilroy’s motion is set to be heard by the city centre community committee next week.

“This land is currently used as a community park, well-used by children and families, and should be zoned accordingly,” it says.

“The community is concerned with the potential for future development.”

If the motion passes, Winnipeg’s public service would initiate rezoning and co-ordinate with the public works department on a strategy to either add amenities to the lot, or restore it to a natural area.

Public works would be required to report back with any budgetary needs from proposed upgrades, the motion says.

Salo said adding amenities to the space is not necessary.

“We just want it rezoned and we are asking for absolutely nothing,” he said.

“We don’t want the city to spend another nickel on it, except to change the zoning so that we don’t have to worry about it in the future and it can belong to the community in perpetuity.”

Gilroy (Daniel Mclntyre) was unavailable for an interview Wednesday.

The city centre community committee will review the motion next Tuesday.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca