Bowman extends olive branch

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This article was published 07/02/2015 (3928 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Brian Bowman and Mark Chipman are back on texting terms.

Just a couple of days after the chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment went on the offensive over comments the mayor made about the company’s role in obtaining an option to build on the old Carlton Inn site, the pair is communicating once again.

“I’ve reached out to Mark. I’ve got a lot of respect for Mark Chipman, and I hold him in very high regard. I’m obviously very disappointed to see how upset (he was) and the concerns that he raised the other day,” he said.

Bowman was adamant no part of the controversy regarding plans to build a $400-million development near the RBC Convention Centre has anything do with any personal issues between any of the parties involved. Instead, it’s all about the process. He said he was “obviously saddened” he and Chipman had been at odds.

“This has never been about any one developer, True North, Mark Chipman or Brian Bowman. It’s been about the processes that have been followed that lead us to a place where city hall learned there were transactions that happened before I was elected that put us in a very difficult position,” he said.

“It’s also about the millions of taxpayers’ dollars. Council voted unanimously that if money was going to flow to CentreVenture that there be public expressions of interest,” he said.

True North spokesman Scott Brown confirmed Chipman and Bowman had contacted each other but declined to comment further.

Bowman said True North’s proposal looks like a “spectacular” development.

“We all want what’s best for downtown Winnipeg. We all want to see development,” he said.

The $400-million project, which has been pulled off the table by Chipman — at least temporarily — would see two towers and a public square built on a Manitoba Public Insurance-owned surface-parking lot at 225 Carlton St. and a third tower constructed on the CentreVenture-owned Carlton Inn site at 220 Carlton St.

Bowman said Chipman and True North, the directors of CentreVenture and the RBC Convention Centre are putting in a lot of time and energy to build up downtown Winnipeg, and he wants to do whatever he can to support them.

‘I’ve reached out to Mark. I’ve got a lot of respect for Mark Chipman, and I hold him in very high regard. I’m obviously very disappointed to see how upset (he was) and the concerns that he raised the other day’ — Mayor Brian Bowman

“We want to do it in a way that’s in keeping with the agenda of city hall to increase the accountability and checks and balances that many of us were elected on,” he said.

Bowman was quick to note the city is not involved in the negotiations between True North and CentreVenture.

“If CentreVenture decides they want to pursue the True North option, they can do that. This deal can certainly proceed,” he said.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca