The Forks gears up Railside neighbourhood development By: Scott Billeck Posted: 4:26 PM CDT Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025

Two oddly placed fire hydrants on parking lots at The Forks are the first signs of The Railside expansion that will begin in earnest this spring.

The hydrants will service the space that will be transformed into a residential and commercial neighbourhood on the lots next to the CN Rail tracks, south of York Avenue and across from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on Israel Asper Way.

The 10 buildings constructed during the three-phase, 12-acre development will create homes for as many as 2,500 people, along with commercial, retail and public spaces. It will feature green spaces, courtyards, public art and walkways that connect The Forks to downtown.

“Railside’s biggest intent is to be more of The Forks,” said Zach Peters, communications manager of The Forks North Portage Partnership.

“When (people) walk through the courtyards and the alleyways that make up the neighbourhood, (they) will have the feeling of going into businesses, going into shops just like they already do here at The Forks.”

In 1987, when The Forks was created, the plan included a residential component. The Railside project makes good on that commitment nearly 40 years later, with a vision of an all-seasons meeting place that includes housing at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers.

Delays have pushed the projected move-in date for residential occupants in the development to early 2027.

Construction was meant to begin in 2024, with the initial move-in date pegged for 2026.

Six developers are involved in the first phase of the project. Apartment rental applications and condo sales will open as each developer begins their builds, Peters said.

“When (people) walk through the courtyards and the alleyways that make up the neighbourhood, (they) will have the feeling of going into businesses, going into shops just like they already do here at The Forks.”–Zach Peters

Peters declined to speculate whether the U.S. tariffs would affect the timeline.

Art has been a focal point at The Forks, with more than 30 art installations from around the world, including many from local artists.

That theme will continue at The Railside, with the first installation at the site unveiled last year.

Métis artist Ian August’s artwork, The Candle, was selected. The 12-foot sculpture will be a focal point in the courtyard space.

“Thinking about this shift brought me to consider universal symbols of home and belonging, and the broader spirit of opening your home to others to create an accepting and welcoming community,” August said last year. “This is the basis for The Candle.”

Last week, The Forks issued a second call for artwork that will also adorn the Railside development. Organizers plan to hire an emerging artist who will be mentored during the creation process.

“Public art changes and engages a space,” The Forks CEO Sara Stasiuk said in a release. “It attracts people and strengthens a person’s relationship with their environment.”

Meantime, Via Rail filed a lawsuit this month that claims it has land use rights stemming from the 1986 deal in which the Canadian National Railway Co. sold the land for the creation of The Forks.

The claim alleges The Forks Renewal Corp. has “been taking certain actions which purport to call into question” the rights of easement on the property, which are detailed in a caveat from March 1987 that remains attached to the land title.

Both sides called the lawsuit standard procedure.

“In order for the caveat to remain, Via had to file a claim, which is a fairly standard process,” Peters said in an email. “We do not anticipate any impact on the development or Via’s use of its property.”

The Forks filed a request with the Winnipeg Land Titles office on Feb. 12, asking to issue a 30-day notice to Via Rail regarding the caveat.

“Neither party foresees any impact on the development project or Via Rail’s operations, and we remain confident that Via Rail and The Forks will swiftly reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” a Via spokesperson said in an email.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca