St. Boniface residents want proposed 120-unit building scaled down

St. Boniface residents are pushing the city to change a proposed 120-unit apartment building over concerns about its size and the property’s history.

While city planners describe the arterial road in a mature neighbourhood as well-suited to denser housing, opponents say the six-storey development planned for 470 Des Meurons St. raises multiple concerns.

“Essentially, the property developer is asking for variances that will allow him to develop every last square centimetre of that property, and that is concerning … We want a building that’s going to respect what we already have in the community,” said Gilbert Michaud.

Michaud stressed many residents support adding more homes in the area, which currently consists of mostly single-family dwellings, but prefer a smaller project with less impact on parking, traffic and green space.

“We know that urban sprawl makes no sense … We’ve come to essentially oppose the project, not to make (it) disappear, but rather to scale it down,” he said.

Resident Barbara Signer-Delorme hopes the city will require the plans to acknowledge the St. Boniface Industrial School, a former residential school that operated on and around the proposed site.

“This history can’t be an afterthought in the planning process. What I would ask for city council to do is to make sure that the developer has a commemoration plan in place before they begin construction,” said Signer-Delorme.

“It’s important in St. Boniface history and it’s an important in the history of our city,” she added.

About 300 Indigenous children attended the school, which operated from 1890 to 1905, including 87 who died at the school or shortly after leaving it, according to the St. Boniface Historical Society’s website.

A Manitoba government webpage also identifies the school as a former Indian residential school. It notes the school is not officially recognized by the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement, since it did not involve federal funding.

The property is not listed as a protected heritage site by the city. After the St. Boniface Industrial School closed, the structure was converted into a missionary school. That building was destroyed in a 1911 fire, said city spokeswoman Deborah Bowers, in an email.

A commercial building is now at the site, which would be demolished to create space for the new development.

Signer-Delorme said about 600 residents signed a door-to-door petition against the project.

Freedhome Developments declined an interview request about its proposal.

In an email, the company’s president said Freedhome has completed extensive engagement.

“This includes public consultation with neighbouring residents and outreach to Indigenous groups and relevant government stakeholders, supported by technical assessments such as ground-penetrating radar, and (a) review of historical records and information,” wrote Jonathon Freed.

The Riel community committee was scheduled to hold a public hearing on the project Tuesday. However, that was postponed to June 19, due to a lack of quorum.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) left due to a personal family matter, while Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River) had a conflicting meeting, leaving only Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) available on the three-person committee.

A few dozen residents who went to city hall to speak at the hearing expressed frustration about the delay, which was announced just after the hearing was scheduled to begin.

“I’m really disappointed. So many of us took a day off work … We all rearranged our lives to come and do this,” said Signer-Delorme.

In an interview, Mayes apologized for the delay, noting his conflict emerged shortly before the meeting.

“We want people to come out and speak. We want to encourage that … With a three-person panel, sometimes you get this, where people can’t make it,” he said.

The councillor declined to speak about the project itself prior to the hearing.

In a staff report, city planners largely support the project, but note it would be large for the neighbourhood.

“This property is located on a large lot uncharacteristic of nearby residential properties, which tend to be one- to four-unit residential dwellings. This allows for a higher density development than what is typical,” the report notes.

Planners conclude the project would meet the city’s goal to add denser housing options in mature communities.

If approved, 10 per cent of the apartments would have affordable rents, as defined by Manitoba Housing’s affordable housing rental program.

Municipal planners recommend that city council deny the proposal’s request to include no front yard setback and require a buffer of at least 10 feet instead. Planners also oppose a plan to offer 105 parking stalls instead of the required 120.

City council will cast the final vote on the project, though no date for that has been set.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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