Federal government wants costly Kapyong buildings demolished

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This article was published 17/11/2016 (3308 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — The Department of National Defence wants to tear down all 41 buildings on the vacant Kapyong Barracks site because they have fallen into such disrepair they represent a high liability, the Free Press has learned.

This despite DND spending almost $20 million to maintain the vacant barracks and property over the last 13 years.

In a letter sent to area residents this week, DND indicates it has hired engineering firm Stantec to seek public input on the proposed demolition, which is proposed to begin in 2017 and last “several years over several phases.”

“In order to reduce liabilities associated with deteriorating infrastructure, the DND is proposing to demolish all buildings and associated infrastructure that currently occupy the former Kapyong Barracks site,” the letter reads.

The demolition will include all buildings on the site bordered by Carpathia Road on the north, Kenaston Boulevard on the east, Morpeth and Edgeland boulevards on the west and the CNR rail line on the south.

The boarded-up Lipsett Hall gymnasium on the land north of Grant is also slated to be torn down as are all internal roadways, surface parking areas, curbing and underground utilities including hydro, gas, water and sewer lines.

Area the government wants razed

DND has spent an estimated $20 million to maintain the 41 buildings and the barracks site since the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry unit was transferred to Shilo from Kapyong in June 2004. That estimate is based on a 2013 report from DND obtained by the Free Press that showed the costs until then had hit $15 million, for property taxes, snow clearing, heating and other maintenance. The annual cost was about $1.5 million, which would bring the total to $19.5 million this year.

The city tax bill alone for the payment in lieu of taxes Ottawa makes for its properties in the city was almost $900,000 in 2016, city records show.

An official with DND said the department would not be able to discuss the matter until today.

In 2007, the government declared the land surplus and sought to sell it to the Canada Lands Corporation for redevelopment. Canada Lands is a Crown corporation that redevelops surplus federal land. However, the sale and development were halted by a court challenge from the seven Treaty One First Nations who argued the government had a duty to consult them over the land since they were still owed land under treaties. Years of court cases ensued, with several judges siding with the First Nations and the government repeatedly appealing. Finally, in September 2015 during a campaign stop in Winnipeg, former prime minister Stephen Harper said the government would appeal no more, clearing the way for a new round of negotiations between the First Nations and Ottawa.

Sources told the Free Press in September there is now concern among the bands involved about the share each would have in the land, which is holding up the talks.

The demolition is only related to the buildings on the barracks site itself and does not include any of the military-owned homes in the area. Those homes are on a separate parcel of land, are mostly in use by the military, RCMP and other federal departments, and the land has not been declared surplus as of yet.

Stantec is seeking public input on the demolition proposal between Nov. 18 and Dec. 16 as part of an environmental assessment required under the Environmental Assessment Act.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca