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This article was published 25/07/2014 (3235 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayoral candidate Gord Steeves is promising to sell off four city-owned golf courses to raise $100 million for road renewal.

The lawyer and former St. Vital councillor pledged Friday morning to sell off Crescent Drive, Kildonan Park and Windsor Park golf courses if he’s elected mayor. City council has rejected this idea amid concerns over the loss of public space.

Steeves said 100 per cent of the proceeds from these golf courses — plus the proceeds from the sale of John Blumberg golf course in Headingley, already declared surplus by the city — on the renewal of existing roads.

He also said he would also use property taxes generated by new developments on the three golf courses within Winnipeg to top up road-renewal spending.

Steeves said none of this cash would be spent on new regional roads, projects he suggested are not in the city’s best interests.

Steeves said he would initiate a council vote on the golf-course sales as soon as he is elected. He said the controversy over those sales would be alleviated by the knowledge more housing would be created on golf-course land.

He said he based his $100-million target on the idea 60 per cent of the land would be set aside for single-family homes, 30 per cent for apartments or condos and 10 per cent for commercial use.

Steeves also took a shot at mayoral rival and fellow lawyer Brian Bowman, who briefly mused about toll roads earlier this summer, but did not commit to tolls.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

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Steeves said his plan would raise money without asking taxpayers to contribute.