City of Winnipeg approves plan to develop housing on Parker lands

After 11 years of delays that inspired two lawsuits — including one case still winding its way through the courts — city council has approved plans to develop Winnipeg's Parker lands.

Council voted unanimously Thursday to rezone a 19-hectare triangle of Fort Garry land wedged between the Southwest Transitway and the CNR Rivers rail line to make way for a 1,918-unit residential development called Fulton Grove.

Developer Andrew Marquess hopes to build 23 apartment towers on the east side of the triangle, closer to Pembina Highway, along with a mix of townhouses, triplexes, duplexes and single-family homes on the west side, closer to Waverley Street.

Marquess initially acquired the property from the city as part of a land swap in 2009. A planning approval process began in 2013, and Marquess has spent the last 11 years trying to get city council to approve his development proposal.

Along the way, Marquess repeatedly accused city planning officials and River Heights-Fort Garry Coun. John Orlikow of placing roadblocks in the way of the development. He has been vindicated by the courts on two occasions.

Orlikow did not attend Thursday's council meeting. Council Speaker Devi Sharma said he was attending a conference out of town on the city's behalf.

In 2018, a judge ordered the city to hold hearings over the Fulton Grove development. In a separate case in 2023, a judge determined two city officials had engaged in misfeasance by holding back the development and ordered the city to pay Marquess $5 million. Orlikow was not a defendant in the case.

The city appealed the latter ruling during two days of court hearings earlier this month. A decision in that appeal has yet to be handed down.

Marquess, who has pre-sold some units on the land, deferred comment on Thursday's vote, stating via text message that he wishes to see the wording of a city planning report that was amended at the committee stage.

The developer said he was surprised when the original report made recommendations about how close his development can come to the rail line along the north end of the property.

Wyatt effort to expand whiteout fails

Earlier Thursday, Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt tried to convince his city council colleagues to expand the Winnipeg Jets' downtown playoff street parties to The Forks.

Wyatt authored a motion to direct the city to speak to The Forks and Winnipeg Jets owner True North Sports and Entertainment about expanding the whiteout party on Tuesday, when Winnipeg hosts the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of their opening-round series.

Council did not debate the motion. Wyatt needed two-thirds of council to agree to hold a last-minute debate, but was only able to muster the support of two other councillors. Council voted 10-3 against Wyatt's efforts to suspend the rules and hear his motion.

Wyatt also rose before council Thursday to formally apologize for uttering the term "bicycle Nazi" during a committee hearing earlier in April.

Wyatt said he apologizes to members of Bike Winnipeg and anyone else who may have been offended.

Encampment cleanup plan approved

City council also voted Thursday to approve city funding to clean up homeless encampments under a program that would be operated by the Main Street Project, Siloam Mission and the Downtown Community Safety Partnership.

The cleanup program is a pilot project. The city will contribute up to $170,000, according to a report to council.