Councillor wants Manitoba Youth Centre moved for Kenaston widening

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This article was published 20/09/2018 (2600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City councillor John Orlikow wants the Manitoba Youth Centre moved to make way for an expanded Route 90.

At the Sept. 18 meeting of City Centre community committee, Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) brought forward a motion directing the public service to ask the province to relocate all or part of the youth centre at 170 Doncaster St. for the widening of Kenaston Boulevard.

According to Orlikow, if the City were able to acquire the land the youth centre is currently on, that would alleviate expropriation pressure on 40 residential properties to the east of Kenaston Boulevard.

The motion passed unanimously and moves on to the executive policy committee for consideration on Nov. 28.

“As we all know, the Kenaston widening project is moving forward into almost its final design at this phase,” Orlikow told the committee. “I’ve received some positive information from the provincial government that they’re willing to explore the idea, and the previous provincial government wasn’t.

“But this provincial government seems to be more open to the idea of looking at relocating part or all of the youth detention centre, which will allow the street to be moved to the west side, rather than the east side,” he said.

A functional design for the roadway presented to the public in June, proposed expanding Kenaston to the east onto residential properties between Willow Avenue and Tuxedo Avenue in order to bypass the youth centre.

Orlikow suggested the City doesn’t currently have funds to expropriate the residential properties, and while acquiring the land from the province may not result in significant savings, building the corridor to the west would be less disruptive to people living in the neighbourhood.

“I think it’s prudent for the City to begin the negotiations to see about the possibility of moving the youth detention centre, or part of it,” he said.

In a statement sent to The Sou’wester, justice minister Cliff Cullen said it is premature to comment on the motion as there are more steps the province has to take before it could enter into any agreement regarding the property.

“The City of Winnipeg has expressed interest in expanding Kenaston along the west side to avoid negative impact on the surrounding neighbourhoods. When the city comes forward with a formal request, we would consider it at that time,” Cullen said. “We respect and value everything that our juvenile counsellors do at the Manitoba Youth Centre to manage the youth custody population and keep Manitobans safe.

“As such, we will not consider any proposals that may put public safety at risk, and as any discussions unfold we will keep staff at the Manitoba Youth Centre informed along the way.”

• Kelvin High School’s new active living centre has received one last contribution from the City.

City Centre community committee approved a $57,000 community incentive grant for the project, which is in its final stage construction.

The City’s total contribution to the project is now $199,500 with community incentive grants coming from four different ward allowances.

According to documents submitted to the City by the active living centre committee, project costs have increased as construction continued, and the total price tag on the centre is now $1,237,273.48.

Orlikow said arrangements are being made with the Winnipeg School Division to have the centre accessible to community members for programming.

• The following organizations received grants to support community programming:

• Sustainable South Osborne Community Cooperative received a $30,803.75 land dedication reserve grant from the Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry ward allowance. The grant will be used to buy four wheelchair accessible picnic tables (two for the riverside garden and two for the orchard), build a pergola/shade structure in the orchard, and over 400 yards of soil.

• The Riverview Garden Society received a $16,000 land dedication reserve grant from the Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry ward allowance to pay for an in-ground irrigation system at the plots along the Red River.