North End church says prayer for fence Parish fights city for nine-foot gates amid vandalism, theft, encampments By: Joyanne Pursaga Posted: 6:20 PM CST Monday, Nov. 24, 2025

A North End church is fighting for permission to install a security fence, after facing vandalism, theft and encampments, along with threats of arson and violence.

St. John Cantius Church at 846 Burrows Ave. applied for a city variance to build a nine-foot (2.74-metre) chain-link fence with barbed wire around its property.

“Through the years, we always had vandalism and trespassers. Some are people who use drugs and then some are just kids partying,” said Delvina Tabing, a trustee of the parish, on Monday. “They climb up the roof and then they party up there. They use the premises of the church as their hotel and sometimes … as toilets.”

Tabing said greater security is needed to protect vulnerable parishioners, including many older adults, as well as catechism students.

She said the church feels increasingly less safe as incidents pile up, with an air conditioner stolen, items burned outside the church and people, at times, camping on the property.

In one incident, a staff member was threatened with a machete, she said.

“A lot of times (the people doing this) are not in the right state of mind, they are under the influence of liquor or drugs,” said Tabing.

The church applied for a variance to add the fence, since it would be taller than the city allows for the area. But the city’s director of property, planning and development rejected the request, a decision the church is now appealing.

A city staff report notes fence heights are limited in residential areas to “promote a sense of community and preserve sightlines,” including around the one-storey church.

In the area, a city standard allows a fence height of up to four feet (1.22 metres) in the front yard and up to 6.5 feet (1.98 metres) in the back and side yards.

“They use the premises of the church as their hotel and sometimes … as toilets.”

“The fence height is incompatible with other residential properties on the block. Esthetically, a fence of this height with barbed wire gives the property a fortress-like appearance,” wrote Donna Kane, a city development planning officer, in the report.

A request to speak with a city planner about the appeal was not granted Monday. In an email, spokeswoman Julie Dooley said fence height limits are in place and barbed wire is prohibited in this residential zone.

“We provided the applicant with fence options that would both be within what we could support and address security; however, they declined these options,” wrote Dooley.

Tabing said the city suggested a shorter, ornamental fence the church fears would be too expensive and too easy to climb over.

“The (city is) worried about the esthetic of the fence … but we want the security,” she said.

The church is asking the city to clarify exactly how tall a fence it would permit.

Meanwhile, a church in Point Douglas added a similar fence to ramp up security at its property.

Our Lady of Lourdes Slovenian Catholic Church is equipped with an eight-foot tall fence topped with barbed wire in its front yard, which some members have mixed feelings about.

“We (didn’t) want to put up a fence. It looks like we’re keeping people out. That’s not the intention of any church. We’re supposed to be welcoming all of God’s people but … the safety of our parishioners was coming into play and we could not afford to keep repairing all of the vandalism that was going on without that type of fence,” said Stephanie Casar, a parish council member.

The Our Lady property is located in a “multiple use sector zone” and had an existing fence on parts of its property, so it did not require a city variance for its extended barrier.

Casar said repeated vandalism, dumping in the parking lot and some encampments raised the need for extra security. While the fence has been damaged at times, it helped reduce some concerns, she said.

“Definitely, it’s still needed. We hire security guards now for significant events because we still feel we need that little extra set of eyes out there,” said Casar.

She said abandoned homes nearby also attract drug use and raise the risk of arson throughout the area.

“It’s always been a tough neighbourhood but, since COVID times, it has been exacerbated,” said Casar.

Coun. Ross Eadie said the fence proposed for St. John Cantius Church may help prevent dumping. However, he fears it would be too tall, potentially obstructing emergency crews.

“A fence of this height with barbed wire gives the property a fortress-like appearance.”

“Fires are fought from the front. I respect their concept but the front fence, to me, that’s untenable,” said Eadie.

The councillor said more work is needed on initiatives that address safety and combat the causes of crime.

“A fence isn’t solving all those concerns,” said Eadie.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga