Saving the elms in Elmwood-East Kildonan: Residents in ward want action on invasive beetles, potholes

Lisa Forbes tapes a poster to a hydro pole in a back lane in Winnipeg's Glenelm neighbourhood. She's advertising a seminar about Dutch elm disease and the invasive emerald ash borer to her neighbours.

"We are called Glenelm and if you drive around the streets you'll see there's signs all over that says Glenelm and there's beautiful elm trees," Forbes said. "We're in Elmwood and we're losing our trees."   

Forbes, 50, lives on Harbison Avenue, in the city's Elmwood-East Kildonan electoral ward. As Winnipeggers prepare to vote on Oct. 24, she says she'd like to see the city dedicate more resources to cutting down diseased trees and to educating citizens about the dangers their trees face. 

City data shows that Elmwood-East Kildonan has about 4,800 ash trees. The city says there's a danger of losing all of these to the beetle over the next 10 years.

It's injecting some ash trees on public properties with a pesticide. Others will be removed and potentially replaced.

In addition to protecting the city's trees, Forbes says she wants to see the city do something tangible toward reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

"Everyone's expecting the federal government to come up with something, but it's city services that affect people the most," says Forbes.

She says the city needs proactive policies on recruiting Indigenous police officers and civil members, and greater opportunities for Indigenous youth. She would also like to see an overnight safe space for young people built in Elmwood.

Candidates 'should be more visible'

Kathy Boschman also wants to see plans for safety. "I'd like to see social intervention programs for youth and awareness and a place for them to belong," she says. "Making sure we have healthy communities in our city." 

Boschman, 49, lives on Henderson Highway. She's concerned that safety issues such as meth and gang violence affect newcomers and the Indigenous community most. She says she'd like to see city working with all neighbourhoods to reduce crime.

This year so far (as of Sept. 28), there have been 502 crimes have been reported in Elmwood-East Kildonan, according to the city's CrimeStat data. That's a 12 per cent increase from the same period in 2017.

Boschman also says she wants good communication with her city councillor. "If I call your office will you get back to me with my concerns?" she says. "That's very important to me."

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Robb Massey is challenging Jason Schreyer for the Elmwood-East Kildonan council seat. Schreyer won the seat in 2014, defeating Thomas Steen.

"They should be more visible," Margaret Kendel said of the two council candidates. Kendel, 64, has a sign for Schreyer in her yard on Simpson Avenue but says, "I haven't really heard anything that he's done for our area." 

"He's more in the Herald [community newspaper] now, but it's because of the election," Kendel says. 

She says road repair is one of the biggest issues facing Elmwood-East Kildonan. 

Trang Dihn, 18, also says she would like to know if the city plans to fix roads, including the smaller streets. Ottawa Avenue is full of potholes, says Dihn, who lives at her family's business on Henderson Highway. 

Boschman says she called the city to see if there is a plan to fix Munroe Avenue, one of the larger thoroughfares in the ward. She said she was told there is no plan.

Earlier this month, the city announced upwards of $300 million in federal, provincial and city funds would be put toward repairing regional roads in Winnipeg over the next five years.

Earlier in September, the mayor's office listed Pembina Highway, Portage Avenue, Main Street and Broadway, among others, as eligible candidates for the funding. No streets in Elmwood-East Kildonan were mentioned. 

More CBC Manitoba election ward profiles:

• Charleswood-Tuxedo
• Daniel McIntyre
• Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry
• Mynarski
• North Kildonan
• Old Kildonan
• Point Douglas
• River Heights-Fort Garry
• St. Boniface
• St. James
• St. Norbert-Seine River
• St. Vital
• Transcona
• Waverley West​

Journalism students from Red River College's creative communications program have prepared profiles of each city of Winnipeg ward ahead of the 2018 civic election for CBC Manitoba. Read all of our election 2018 coverage here.