Ringing up bedroom community services Gates on Roblin ownership team sets July date for new 12-unit, 15,200-sq.-ft. retail centre in Headingley By: Gabrielle Piché Posted: 5:57 PM CST Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 Last Modified: 6:18 PM CST Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 Updates

Possibly entering the Gates: coffee and ice cream shops, local stores, barbers and medical centres.

Tenants haven’t yet been inked for the popular Headingley wedding and event venue’s grounds on the west edge of Winnipeg. On Thursday, the bones of a new retail centre were just being pushed into the earth.

“The construction is going all year,” said Ray Louie, co-owner and general manager of the Gates on Roblin.

He watched an excavator at work. By current timelines, a 15,200-square-foot boutique plaza will open in July.

It’s an $8.4-million project, Louie said.

He and fellow owners received the building permit earlier this fall. But for Louie, the idea has been years in the making. He watched Pineridge Hollow open the Village, a centre filled with shops and eateries, in 2022.

It “really fit” with the existing wedding venue near Oakbank, Louie said. He considered opening a market in front of the Gates but paused.

“We weren’t looking to compete against anyone,” Louie said, highlighting other Headingley markets. “We just thought, ‘OK, now’s not the time.’”

Since then, neighbouring businesses Crampton’s, Jolly Green Thumb and J&H Garden Centre have shuttered. And last year, Whiteland Real Estate became co-owners of the Gates.

“A unique gem in Whiteland’s portfolio — that was our intent,” said Satpal Sidhu, president of Whiteland, when asked about the purchase.

Whiteland was interested in building something new on the Roblin Boulevard-facing property.

“Right now, we’re very heavily destination-only, which is fine – it pays the bills – but once we become mainstream, I think it’ll change how this business looks.”

The area’s residential population has ballooned. More than 1,000 homes were recently built within five kilometres of the Gates site; another 671 houses are expected to finish in the next five years, a Capital Commercial Real Estate brochure advertising the “Gates Village” reads.

The average household income in the immediate area is $171,688, the document says.

“These shops are … really to provide services to the residential bedroom community,” said Derrick Chartier, a principal at Capital who’s overseeing the file.

He’s been marketing the strip over the past month. Twelve units — roughly 1,200 to 1,300 sq. ft. each — are up for lease.

Headingley councillors have approved entry for a swath of business types — eateries, health services, personal services (such as barbers and beauty salons), retailers, banks and insurance, tutors and music lessons.

Louie is pondering opening a Gates coffee shop in a corner stall. The site’s kitchen and bathroom could be used for outdoor tent weddings at the main facility, he said.

He expects a drastic increase in daytime traffic at the 6945 Roblin Blvd. locale.

“Right now, we’re very heavily destination-only, which is fine — it pays the bills — but once we become mainstream, I think it’ll change how this business looks,” Louie said.

The venue will open daily for lunch to match the Gates Village hours, Louie continued. Currently, the Gates books dinner reservations four days a week and Sunday brunch.

The Gates may set up a seasonal wedding tent near the new strip, Louie added. The tent often travels to rural Manitoba for events.

Meantime, Whiteland has been buying property elsewhere in Headingley. Sidhu declined to share details, saying plans will be revealed later.

He anticipates construction of the Gates Village will create 100 short-term jobs; the fully open site could generate 50 permanent positions.

Developers consulted with community at least twice before being approved by the municipality, Headingley council minutes from May show.

“We want to be a little bit of everything for the residents of Headingley,” Louie said, adding he’s hoping to draw people from the neighbouring Charleswood area.

The Gates has its own customer base that will act as “built-in traffic” for the new plaza, Louie said. The business staffs up to 80 employees during the summer; the number presently sits around 65.

WSP consulting firm conducted a traffic analysis ahead of construction. The Gates is moving its entrance on Roblin Boulevard slightly closer to the Perimeter Highway, to align with a church entrance on the other side of the street.

Increased traffic has been a concern for some residents, said Lori Thorsteinson, Headingley Chamber of Commerce president. Even so, the community seems “pretty excited.”

“I think it’s going to be good for Headingley,” Thorsteinson said of the new centre. “Look at Pineridge Hollow — I mean, I certainly live in Headingley and drive all the way to Pineridge Hollow.”

Matt Bell anticipates a boost in customers at Shelmerdine Garden Centre, which he co-owns.

“We feel that any business that is reputable and is driving traffic to the area is great for all of the other businesses,” Bell said.

Upwards of 170 new parking stalls are slated for the Gates’s property, a development plan submitted to the Rural Municipality of Headingley shows.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com