Police station proposal rejected

A call to lease a former grocery store to house a new South Winnipeg police station has been rejected.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) raised a motion calling for the new use of the former Dakota Family Foods at 1099 St. Mary’s Rd., noting the vacant site has a large parking lot and prominent location.

On Monday, council’s property and development committee decided to take no action on the motion, receiving it “as information” instead.

Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood), the committee’s chairman, said there are several factors that must be considered in selecting police station locations. He said the matter should also be handled by the Winnipeg Police Board, not the property and development committee.

Mayes said he will consider proposing the issue again at the police board’s September meeting.

The city has not set aside any money to add a new police station.