Surface parking issues bubble up at former Windsor Hotel property

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This article was published 21/12/2023 (658 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The massive pile of rubble left behind when the Windsor Hotel burned in September has been cleared away, leaving some residents to fear the open site is now at risk of serving as yet another downtown surface parking lot.

Concerns over the future of the 187 Garry St. property hit social media this week, after local architect Brent Bellamy reported multiple parked cars filling at least one new row.

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Bellamy urged the City of Winnipeg to take action to prevent vehicles from creeping in to claim more space and “another illegal parking lot” from popping up.

The Free Press spotted several vehicles parked on the vacant lot Thursday afternoon, though no signs or stall markers appeared to promote that option. A parking meter dedicated to spots in place before the fire destroyed the 120-year-old building Sept. 13 marked a separate, nearby area.

“There’s a few other examples… downtown of buildings that have been demolished or burned down that eventually just become surface parking lots and they never actually get approved,” Bellamy said Thursday, during an interview.

Since some parking was located beside the Windsor before it burned down, drivers may be spreading vehicles out across the empty lot on their own accord, rather than a property owner actually encouraging the practice, the Free Press contributor noted.

Meantime, a worker at a nearby business, who didn’t want her name published, said she was pleased to see the rubble gone.

“It looks much better… Everybody likes to see it clean. The burning smell was still there in the rubble,” she said.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy, who has long pushed the city to crack down to ensure prompt removal of rubble from fires, said the site was cleared about a week ago.

“I’m glad to see the owners are taking responsibility and doing the work that’s needed to get that removed. I think rubble is a big blight in our community and we need to make sure (that it is) taken care of,” said Gilroy.

The Daniel McIntyre councillor noted debris at some other sites has lingered in place for months or even years. For example, she noted a lot at 694 Sherbrook St. remains buried under a massive mound of rubble after fire destroyed a three-storey apartment block in February 2022.

Gilroy said she is concerned prime space will be underused if the former Windsor Hotel site becomes solely devoted to parking.

“It’s a really big waste of space in our downtown to have a parking lot sitting there (on) this major real estate, when we should be building up,” she said. “This will be something the city will have to look at and review because this is something that we really should not be allowing.”

Coun. Sherri Rollins, chairwoman of the property and development committee, said she reported the parking issue to enforcement officers Wednesday.

While pleased the site had been cleaned up, Rollins stressed the city should strive for beautification of properties, not just prompt rubble removal.

“It was nice to see someone take responsibility of their property right away, get the rubble cleaned out and I’ve had… very positive feedback about that, too,” Rollins said.

“The parking has moved on to the empty lot where the building stood and that’s not a use that is allowed… It is not the highest and best use for the land.”

In an email, city spokesman Kalen Qually said the site’s demolition permit closed Dec. 13, “which requires the owner to leave the site clean and level for future development.”

“City staff had not been in communication with the owner about the next use of the property. The property is not currently zoned for use as a surface parking lot. City staff are now exploring the issue and will be contacting the owner regarding their requirements under the zoning bylaw,” wrote Qually.

Under the downtown zoning bylaw, the owner of this type of property is expected to prevent vehicle access to the site, such as by removing private approaches and possibly installing fencing, he noted.

The Windsor Hotel made news headlines this year.

A provincial health hazard order shut down the building in March, forcing its low-income residents to find new homes.

Following the closure, a city report identified its current owner only as Garry 187 Enterprises Ltd., represented by lawyer Frank Bueti. The report stated the owner took possession of the building Feb. 28, 2023.

Bueti could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The hotel was first constructed as a boarding house in 1903, and redesigned as a hotel in 1910. It opened as the Le Claire Hotel and was renamed the Windsor Hotel in 1930.

Silent film-era star Charlie Chaplin stayed at the Le Claire in 1913, and a cutout image of Chaplin had been featured on the building’s balcony.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga