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winnipeg.cbc.ca
Tuesday, November 25th, 2003
WINNIPEG - The battle over a patch of land on the Seine River
in St. Vital may come to a quiet finish Tuesday night as a land
developer, environmentalists and Metis groups work out a compromise.
At issue is a narrow strip of land along the Seine River that
was once home to a grist mill operated by Louis Riel's father.
Metis groups and the environmental watchdog group Save Our Seine
wanted to stop a three-storey, 165-unit senior's housing centre
from being built on the land because it would prevent the area
from becoming a historic site with an interpretive centre.
At a community committee meeting in early November, the developers
and detractors were told to work out their differences.
In agreement some liken to a "shotgun wedding," they have.
Terry MacKay with the development company COF Haven says his
architects are working on changing the location of the building
so it is farther away from the river and closer to Ste. Anne's
Road. MacKay says that may mean changing the size of the development.
"We do have an area that can go up to four storeys, and the architect's
working to see if he can come up with a similar number of units,"
he says. "Parking might be a problem."
"I think in the end, all of us will achieve what we want to pursue:
[COF Haven's] future development and, at the same time, we can
preserve and protect history," says Manitoba Metis Federation
president David Chartrand.
Some issues are still outstanding, such as a roadway that would
lead past the seniors' complex to a future interpretive centre.
Save Our Seine spokesman David Danyluk says the city can clear
up that issue: "Make sure all the little sticky points are all
ironed out and as quickly as possible because if the developer's
going to proceed, he has to know a date when he can stick the
spade in the ground and turn some sod."
Danyluk hopes the current proposal will be passed unanimously
by city councillors at Tuesday night's meeting. Considering that
the process began with protest, Danyluk says he's pleased with
the way it is working out to everyone's satisfaction.
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