‘Significant investments’ in The Forks future

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This article was published 05/11/2024 (335 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As The Forks eyes infrastructure projects within its gathering space and beyond, it’s strengthening its fundraising arm.

Tuesday marked the start of it collecting donations for its Nestaweya River Trail. The Forks North Portage Development Corp. president and CEO Sara Stasiuk made the announcement at the organization’s annual public meeting in downtown Winnipeg.

Calling for river trail donations is just the beginning, she noted. More fundraising initiatives are incoming.

“It’s a way that we can do more things faster,” she told the Free Press.

The Forks must make “significant investments” in the upcoming 40 years, Stasiuk added.

The Forks Foundation was established in 2006; the entity has mainly received grants from private donors and other foundations. Its funding has previously funnelled to Central Park and The Forks’ skatepark, among other areas.

“It’s been a passive charity that we haven’t activated and we haven’t invited the broader community to be part of,” Stasiuk said. “What we’re doing today is finding a way to … invite people to become a part.”

She highlighted The Forks Foundation at a time of preparation for several infrastructure projects.

The Forks plans to ask for proposals regarding new designs for Alexander Docks by the end of 2024. The Forks aims to revitalize the closed Exchange District dock site.

Consultations show people want a memorial for Tina Fontaine and murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls, and a usable dock, Stasiuk said. (Tina’s body was found at the foot of the docks in 2014. In 2018, the man charged with second-degree murder in the death of the 15-year-old girl was found not guilty.)

Early estimates show the redevelopment of Alexander Docks could cost $5 million, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in maintenance, Stasiuk said.

The Forks has also recently developed a long-term framework guiding development on site. The initial government investment in The Forks equates to roughly $70 million in today’s dollars, Stasiuk told a crowd Tuesday.

“This place is nearly 40 years old and it needs some attention now.”

A historic rail bridge at The Forks has been closed for 16 months and could cost more than $10 million to repair. The Forks is working on an interim solution to make the bridge accessible for pedestrians and cyclists, Stasiuk said.

Interim measures are still being determined by contractors, Forks spokesman Zach Peters clarified.

Meanwhile, Railside at The Forks, a mixed-use development, could see its ground-breaking in the coming months. It will encompass 10 buildings and 50,000 square feet of commercial and community space, spanning current parking lots. Hundreds of residents are expected to make the site home.

“We do anticipate that in order to achieve some of the goals we have … there will be a need to ask for both private and public dollars,” Stasiuk said.

The Forks is generally self-sufficient, running its operations off its own revenue.

It sometimes receives government support, including up to $11.9 million through provincial tax increment financing for Railside at The Forks.

“This is about starting to build The Forks Foundation and starting to ensure people know that there are ways that they can contribute to make this place a space that’s meaningful for them,” Stasiuk explained Tuesday.

The Forks drew $2,000 for its river trail campaign within roughly 30 minutes of announcing it. Donors pay $50 to have their names attached to a metre of trail; 40 metres had been purchased.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Joe Kalturnyk, co-founder of RAW:almond restaurant. “People should feel like they have an ownership stake, in a way. They should feel like they’re a part of this.”

Curt Hull, another attendee of the public meeting, noted The Forks is self-financing. The Forks counted $17 million in revenue — a return to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic level — and $14 million in expenditures during its 2023-24 fiscal year.

“If they want to grow and do some additional things, they need some additional revenue,” Hull said. “Additional revenue voluntarily given by citizens of Winnipeg seems like a reasonable approach.”

When asked if The Forks plans to lean on donations for growth, Stasiuk said such funding allows for faster growth.

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The downtown site generates $180 million in economic activity annually and pays $19 million in taxes.

Four million people may pass through The Forks’ doors by the end of the year; already, The Forks has counted more than 3.8 million in 2024.

Ten market tenants are expected to surpass $1 million in sales this year. Three may exceed $2 million, public meeting attendees heard.

The federal, provincial and city governments are shareholders in The Forks North Portage Partnership.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com

Gabrielle Piché
Reporter

Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle.

Every piece of reporting Gabrielle produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.