Browaty vows to block roads

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This article was published 14/11/2013 (4570 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

North Kildonan councillor Jeff Browaty says he’ll make good on a threat to blockade city streets to ensure they can’t be used as an access point to a proposed shopping centre in neighbouring East St. Paul.

Browaty said he’ll also go to a public hearing in Selkirk Nov. 20 to speak against the Walmart/SmartCentres proposal.

“This is completely unique and new for me,” Browaty said about going to another municipality to oppose a development project.

Local residents are concerned about plans by Walmart and developer SmartCentres to use their residential streets as an access to a large shopping centre on a 47-acre parcel of land tucked into the southwest corner of the Perimeter Highway and Lagimodiere Boulevard.

While the land is on the city’s doorsteps in East St. Paul, there is no access to the site from the rural community.

The East St. Paul council has instructed its chief administrative officer to negotiate a deal with Winnipeg, offering to share some of the property tax revenue from the development in exchange for using Winnipeg streets to access the site.

The Selkirk district planning board, which regulates planning development in the rural community, is holding a public hearing Nov. 20 to consider changing the property’s designation from mixed use residential/institutional to commercial.

Browaty said he agrees with the North Kildonan residents it’s not acceptable to use the surrounding residential streets in Winnipeg as the only access to a large commercial development.

Browaty said the project would create traffic problems for several adjacent North Kildonan neighbourhoods.

“The amount of undue traffic (from the project) on the local roads isn’t feasible,” Browaty said.

Browaty said Gateway Road and Raleigh Street could be blockaded until the proper paperwork is passed that would prevent their extension to East St. Paul.

“Hopefully once these motions are taken, SmartCentres will take it as a clear indication their plans are not feasible and withdraw but until that happens, that is the plan of attack right now.”

Browaty said he’s not opposed to the location of the development but said the province should allow access points from within East St. Paul – off the north Perimeter or Lagimodiere.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca