Former Winnipeg mayors Thompson, Katz recognized by city council
Administration building now named after Susan Thompson; Sam Katz portrait to hang in gallery
City council honoured two former Winnipeg mayors on Wednesday by unveiling a portrait of Sam Katz and naming a civic-centre building after Susan Thompson.
Over the noon hour, Mayor Brian Bowman unveiled a portrait of Katz, who led the city from 2004 to 2014. Katz's visage will grace the south wall of the council gallery, alongside portraits of 41 other former Winnipeg mayors.
Bowman lauded Katz for creating the 311 phone line, rebuilding Winnipeg community centres, dedicating a portion of property taxes to road renewal and revitalizing Central Park, a crucial amenity for inner-city Winnipeggers.
He also praised his predecessor for advising him on how to balance his public duties with his family life.
Katz, in turn, thanked Bowman — as well as former councillors Gord Steeves and Paula Havixbeck, who both attended the unveiling ceremony — for running for office in 2014, making it easier for him to decide to step away from city hall that year.
Katz, with his son Aiden at his side, said he fondly recalls question period at council meetings, when he often sparred with Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, who's now the longest-serving member of city council.
In a scrum with reporters, Katz said he is now living in a Headingley, Man., home owned by his wife, Leah. The family could not find a suitable bungalow in Winnipeg, said the former mayor, noting he had many gates installed in his Tuxedo residence to keep his children safe.
"We looked and looked. Couldn't find anything. I looked for lots. Couldn't find anything," he said of the move to the municipality west of Winnipeg. "I said to Leah, I'll try it for a year and see what happens."
Katz said he would gladly move back to Winnipeg if he can find a lot suitable for construction. He declined to comment on whether the growth fees approved by city council in October would inhibit the development of new housing.
During his time in office, Katz was advised the city did not have the power to bring in growth fees without provincial approval. The former mayor said he has not read the report to council that recommends growth fees, joking he no longer has to read reports.
Katz also joked he thought about wearing his famous purple blazer the day his portrait was painted. Instead, he opted for a traditional dark suit, he said.
Bowman said Katz was among a string of firsts for Winnipeg mayors, noting Susan Thompson was the first woman to lead the city, Glen Murray was the first openly gay mayor and Katz was Winnipeg's first Jewish mayor.
"Winnipeg is a very progressive city and I don't think it gets the credit it deserves," said Bowman, Winnipeg's first Indigenous mayor.
Thompson, the first and only woman to serve as Winnipeg's mayor, oversaw a municipal reorganization that diminished the power of senior public servants and concentrated it in the hands of elected officials. She also led Winnipeg through the Flood of the Century in 1997 and helped lead the winning bid for the 1999 Pan Am Games.
"With her persistence and determination, she led Winnipeg and city council through some of its more trying obstacles and challenges," former Point Douglas councillor John Prystanski said in an appearance before council as a delegation.
Mayor Brian Bowman said "this is an incredibly timely year" for renaming the administration building after the first woman to lead the city.
"In Winnipeg, you can do what you want, if you're prepared to work hard," said the mayor, thanking council speaker Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) for suggesting the honour for Thompson.
"As a woman in politics, I can attest to the challenges that women face," Sharma said, noting Thompson dealt with comments about her leadership no man would have to deal with. "She didn't allow others to define her. She stood strong to define herself [with] her actions."
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