Plan for City of Winnipeg to buy part of forest in St. Norbert gets committee support
Motion from Coun. Markus Chambers says Lemay Forest has ecological, cultural significance
A push to save a section of a forest St. Norbert from a proposed housing development gained the support of a Winnipeg city council committee on Thursday.
The Riel Committee unanimously passed a motion from St. Norbert-Seine River Coun. Markus Chambers to negotiate a purchase price with the owner of the Lemay Forest property.
Delegates at the committee's meeting spoke about the ecological, historical and recreational importance of the roughly nine-hectare (22-acre) section of the forest, which in total covers around 30 hectares between Lemay Avenue and the Red River, south of the Perimeter Highway.
"Our main concern is about saving one of the last riparian forests in the city that's untouched," said Stacy Gosman, a member of the Coalition to Save Lemay Forest.
Riparian forests — wooded areas next to a body of water like a river — help protect land from erosion, she said.
"It has certain types of plants that will be flood tolerant, will handle the spring breakup," said Gosman.
She has walked through the forest for 15 years, and said many residents in the area were unaware until recently that it was privately owned.
The property is owned by Tochal Developments, which is represented by professional planner John Wintrup.
No formal development plans have been created because the owner is still in discussions with the city and residents about what type of housing they want to build, Wintrup said.
"It would be assisted, affordable housing that's also accessible for a diversity of people who really need housing," Wintrup said.
"Manitoba and Winnipeg's population is growing more and more diverse. We'd like to be able to accommodate that housing."
He said the developer's plan would allow for easier access to the area, which is currently only accessible by crossing private property.
However, the Riel committee unanimously rejected that plan, instead passing Chambers's motion to buy the land.
That motion will go before council's property and development committee on Dec. 4, before moving on to council.
Chambers says the city would look for partners to help fund the purchase, including the Manitoba government and Indigenous organizations, such as the Manitoba Métis Federation.
The land has historical and cultural significance to the Métis, said the federation's housing minister.
It was once marked out for river lots "when the Red River Métis were … the government here," said Will Goodon.
However, no formal discussions with the MMF have taken place about the property, he told CBC.
"Our government has been doing several investments in Winnipeg and other locations, and one of the things, obviously, we do is to make sure that it makes business sense," said Goodon.
If council approves the motion, the city would then need to find room for the purchase in next year's budget. It last sold for about $1.5 million.
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