Historic designation for St. B trees axed

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This article was published 13/03/2024 (638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg won’t explore the idea of preserving trees by giving them a historic designation.

The call to study better protecting some cottonwood groves in St. Boniface by adding them to the city’s list of historical resources was rejected during a recent property and development committee meeting. The committee opted to receive the motion “as information” instead of taking any action.

Traditionally, the historical resources list has been used to protect Winnipeg’s oldest and most significant buildings against demolition.

Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge- East Fort Garry), chairwoman of property and development, said city staff felt the idea didn’t match the intent of the city’s heritage bylaw, while tree protection could be pursued by other measures.

The trees in question abut the Seine River, from Fort Gibraltar to its junction with the Red River. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) had argued they warranted being deemed historical resources, noting Indigenous people are believed to have used the trees long ago to find shade on hot summer days.