Protect Our Parks
Coming soon
- Work on the Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan Bylaw and Biodiversity Policy is underway and a draft could be available early 2027.
- 2021 June 24 City of Winnipeg approved motions for the creation of the Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Policy and Biodiversity Plan for Winnipeg and the acquisition of 1000 additional acres of parkland.
Transformative amendments were approved for Winnipeg’s two key planning documents Winnipeg 2045 and Complete Communities 2.0 to keep green space intact and to add more . Council gave approval to the amendments on June 24 2021. These plans are intended to preserve green space and set guidelines that protect and plan for greenspace for the future.
Third Reading approved by City Council May 26, 2022 included the transformative green amendments.
1) Commitment to acquire 1000 Additional Acres of Parkland
1000 acre reference: Disposition: Item 1 of the Report of the Executive Policy Committee dated June 16, 2021, be amended by adding the following new recommendation 1.A. i.d. “1.A.i.d. A commitment to increasing the public reserve land within the City of Winnipeg by taking steps to add another 1,000 acres of public park space in addition to the already existing public reserve lands.” – Moved by Kevin Klein on June 24, 2021
2) Preserve Golf Courses as Major Nature Preserves
Amendment to Complete Communities 2.0, approved June 2022 included “Consideration of municipal golf courses as major nature preserves and greenspace” and they are “to be used for park compatible purposes”.
3) Creation of a Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan and Biodiversity Policy
2022 City of Winnipeg approved the creation of the *Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan and Biodiversity Policy for Winnipeg and 1000 additional acres of greenspace*
- City Council approved funding in Budget 2022 to create a Master Greenspace and Natural Corridor Plan and Biodiversity Policy for $700,000 ($200,000 for 2022 and $500,000 for 2023). (Dec 15 2021)
- Protect and value ecosystems as essential components to life. Protect and respect the land through the City’s responsibility to ensure that life-sustaining ecosystems continue to provide clean air, clean water, biodiversity, local food systems, natural habitats, ecological
restoration, carbon sequestration, cooling of urban heat island effect, opportunities for Indigenous land based practices, and improved mental and physical health.
OURS-Winnipeg Presentation for Planning Documents OurWinnipeg 2045 and Complete Communities 2.0
- OURS-Winnipeg Asks
Highlights
Work on the Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan Bylaw and Biodiversity Policy is underway and a draft could be available early 2027.
Winnipeg City Council signed the Montreal Pledge - July 13, 2023 montreal.ca/en/articles/montreal-pledge-call-cop15-launched-to-worlds-cities-39529
2022 Winnipeg Parks Strategy approved by City Council May 26, 2022
2021 June 24 City of Winnipeg approved motions for the creation of the Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Policy and Biodiversity Plan for Winnipeg and the acquisition of 1000 additional acres of parkland.
Work on the Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan Bylaw and Biodiversity Policy is underway and a draft could be available early 2027.
Winnipeg City Council signed the Montreal Pledge - July 13, 2023 montreal.ca/en/articles/montreal-pledge-call-cop15-launched-to-worlds-cities-39529
2022 Winnipeg Parks Strategy approved by City Council May 26, 2022
2021 June 24 City of Winnipeg approved motions for the creation of the Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Policy and Biodiversity Plan for Winnipeg and the acquisition of 1000 additional acres of parkland.
City Planning Document Policy - OurWinnipeg 2045
2.19 Leverage Green Infrastructure
Value, protect and integrate green infrastructure solutions within the urban environment, to achieve highest and best use for biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, mitigate servicing capacity constraints, and accommodate only park, recreation, open space, or City operations related uses in City-owned land used as parks or under parks jurisdiction. HW, CB
2.20 Leverage Green Infrastructure
Create a master green space and natural corridor plan by-law that enables conservation, management, restoration, and enhancement of the inherent value and ecological functioning of parks, waterways, natural areas and systems year-round, to support the environment, advance climate change adaptation and mitigation, and increase quantity of such lands by 1,000 acres that can be accessed for recreation, social interaction, active living and connection of people and nature with nature, as population growth occurs. HW, CB, SE
2.21 Leverage Green Infrastructure
Conserve, restore, and enhance the urban forest as a key contributor to air quality, erosion control, carbon sequestration, storm water management, efficient energy resource consumption, shade, improved health and well-being, and mitigation of and adaptation to the urban heat island effect. HW, SE
2.19 Leverage Green Infrastructure
Value, protect and integrate green infrastructure solutions within the urban environment, to achieve highest and best use for biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, mitigate servicing capacity constraints, and accommodate only park, recreation, open space, or City operations related uses in City-owned land used as parks or under parks jurisdiction. HW, CB
2.20 Leverage Green Infrastructure
Create a master green space and natural corridor plan by-law that enables conservation, management, restoration, and enhancement of the inherent value and ecological functioning of parks, waterways, natural areas and systems year-round, to support the environment, advance climate change adaptation and mitigation, and increase quantity of such lands by 1,000 acres that can be accessed for recreation, social interaction, active living and connection of people and nature with nature, as population growth occurs. HW, CB, SE
2.21 Leverage Green Infrastructure
Conserve, restore, and enhance the urban forest as a key contributor to air quality, erosion control, carbon sequestration, storm water management, efficient energy resource consumption, shade, improved health and well-being, and mitigation of and adaptation to the urban heat island effect. HW, SE
Update from Dr. Shelley Sweeney, Emerita, Archivist, U of M regarding development concerning the Asile Ritchot Cemetery in the north west corner of the Lemay Forest, St. Norbert.
The cemetery served the orphanage and home for unwed mothers run by the Sisters of Misericordia from 1904 to 1948. According to the Sister’s own records held at the Société historique de Saint-Boniface, anywhere from 1,288 and 2,300 children died in the orphanage in those years and likely the majority of those were buried in common graves in the cemetery.
Although the cemetery was deconsecrated and moved by Desjardins Funeral Home in 1974, it is highly unlikely that the children’s remains were moved as it would have required the assistance of osteoarchaeologists specializing in neonatal remains and no such professionals existed in the province at that time as far as can be determined.
The cemetery’s location has been established by federal topographical maps reinforced by aerial photos. The City has indicated that no building can occur over the cemetery itself and further suggests that no building occur within a 50 m buffer zone around the cemetery as recommended by the province because of the likelihood that individuals would have buried their loved ones next to the cemetery. The image below is a rough rendering of the cemetery, the provincial buffer zone, and the developer’s original plan, using geo-referencing points layered over OpenStreetMap in QGIS.
Tochal Development Group planned to erect 3 buildings with 2,500 units for 5,000 residents, with 5,000 parking stalls. This rendering clearly showed the developer’s Building 2 and a large number of parking stalls cutting right through the buffer zone and the centre of the cemetery.
The developer’s representative has consistently shown that he knows the rough parameters of the cemetery and yet he hasn’t altered his plans.
The developer’s representative further stated that he has had workers disturbing the grounds of the cemetery in order to search for remains which is highly concerning given that at least some of the children were Indigenous; in particular a significant percentage of children were Métis.
This cemetery is vulnerable to disturbance given that approvals for development go through the City of Winnipeg but the province is responsible for human remains and heritage areas the federal government has an interest in protecting Indigenous remains.
The city, the province, and the federal government are very sensitive to this issue but the developer has already cut down trees in Lemay Forest in April 2024 and September 2024 without a municipally approved development plan. Who is responsible to ensure that the developer will not disturb the cemetery site plus the 50 m buffer zone?
There is also a concern that any earth and fill needed to mitigate potential flooding impacts for the new development would most certainly impact drainage and cause unnecessary flooding at the cemetery location, which would likely also have an effect on the remains.
No disruption should take place starting immediately until a stakeholder consultation and long-term planning takes place. There needs to be public access to the space and long-term support from the city for the plan and that access. The community and particularly those who may have relatives who were buried in the cemetery would be interested in contributing to such plans.
Further, this Heritage Area should not be considered public reserve. It is a cemetery and should be treated with respect and not a park for the public to unknowingly wander around in.
The cemetery served the orphanage and home for unwed mothers run by the Sisters of Misericordia from 1904 to 1948. According to the Sister’s own records held at the Société historique de Saint-Boniface, anywhere from 1,288 and 2,300 children died in the orphanage in those years and likely the majority of those were buried in common graves in the cemetery.
Although the cemetery was deconsecrated and moved by Desjardins Funeral Home in 1974, it is highly unlikely that the children’s remains were moved as it would have required the assistance of osteoarchaeologists specializing in neonatal remains and no such professionals existed in the province at that time as far as can be determined.
The cemetery’s location has been established by federal topographical maps reinforced by aerial photos. The City has indicated that no building can occur over the cemetery itself and further suggests that no building occur within a 50 m buffer zone around the cemetery as recommended by the province because of the likelihood that individuals would have buried their loved ones next to the cemetery. The image below is a rough rendering of the cemetery, the provincial buffer zone, and the developer’s original plan, using geo-referencing points layered over OpenStreetMap in QGIS.
Tochal Development Group planned to erect 3 buildings with 2,500 units for 5,000 residents, with 5,000 parking stalls. This rendering clearly showed the developer’s Building 2 and a large number of parking stalls cutting right through the buffer zone and the centre of the cemetery.
The developer’s representative has consistently shown that he knows the rough parameters of the cemetery and yet he hasn’t altered his plans.
The developer’s representative further stated that he has had workers disturbing the grounds of the cemetery in order to search for remains which is highly concerning given that at least some of the children were Indigenous; in particular a significant percentage of children were Métis.
This cemetery is vulnerable to disturbance given that approvals for development go through the City of Winnipeg but the province is responsible for human remains and heritage areas the federal government has an interest in protecting Indigenous remains.
The city, the province, and the federal government are very sensitive to this issue but the developer has already cut down trees in Lemay Forest in April 2024 and September 2024 without a municipally approved development plan. Who is responsible to ensure that the developer will not disturb the cemetery site plus the 50 m buffer zone?
There is also a concern that any earth and fill needed to mitigate potential flooding impacts for the new development would most certainly impact drainage and cause unnecessary flooding at the cemetery location, which would likely also have an effect on the remains.
No disruption should take place starting immediately until a stakeholder consultation and long-term planning takes place. There needs to be public access to the space and long-term support from the city for the plan and that access. The community and particularly those who may have relatives who were buried in the cemetery would be interested in contributing to such plans.
Further, this Heritage Area should not be considered public reserve. It is a cemetery and should be treated with respect and not a park for the public to unknowingly wander around in.
Map credit - City of Winnipeg Complete Communities 2.0 Draft
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- Map of Major Open Spaces from Planning Documents OurWinnipeg 2045
- Major Open Space chapter of Complete Committees 2.0 Draft, p. 119 - 124
- Greenspace Chapter of 2018 Winnipeg Alternative Budget
Urban Greenspace Provides Multiple Benefits
The WHO defines urban greenspaces as all urban land covered by vegetation of any kind. (Urban green spaces: a brief for action. UN City, Denmark: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. 2017)
Special Charter Protection for Parkland
Parkland (park zoned) has special protection from development in the City of Winnipeg Charter, Clause(1)(d) -
"no land owned by the city and used for park or cemetery purposes on the day this Act came into force or acquired after that date by the city for park or cemetery purposes may be disposed of without approval by a vote of 2/3 of all members of council and requires a 2/3 vote to rezone".
History
Winnipeg has a 100 plus year legacy of visioning and altruistic intentions for its parks, through tough times and good as parks, large and small, were added throughout the city and beyond city limits to provide services and comforts deemed necessary for its growing population.
In recent times parks have been threatened as too costly, too many, better uses can be found . Budget solution to sell and develop on park land.
- 1893 - Winnipeg Public Parks Board first met in 1893 to acquire, improve and maintain public parks. The provision of public parks were to improve housing and sanitation and reduce the threat of infectious disease. Recognized were the economic value of beautification, the need for fair access to recreation and the need to counter the deleterious effects of urbanization on the working classes.
- 1904 -1906 Assinboine Park was designed by Frederick Gage Todd, Canada's first professional landscape architect at a time when the idea of naturalistic open space in Canadian cities was popularized. In Oct 2020 the Government of Canada designated Todd as a person of national historic significance for his contribution to Canadian park planning.
- 1921 -1982 The City-owned golf courses were created between 1921 and 1982 by seven different Mayors with Mayor Stephan Juba creating three. Kildonan GC was created shortly after the first WW. Three of the golf course were created during the Great Depression in the thirties.
- 1961 - Parks became part of the new Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg’s legacy.
One of the initial pledges made by Metro was to add 1,000 acres of parkland by acquiring land in and around urban areas. The goal was exceeded.
Parks to emerge from this period include La Barriere, Little Mountain, John Blumberg and its golf course, Maple Grove, Bonnycastle, and King’s Park. - 2006 - City was forced to back down on proposal to put Condos in Assinboine Park
- 2011 - 2013 Attempts made to sell or develop seven of the city-owned golf courses. Public push back caused the plan to be halted.
- 2013 - John Blumberg Golf Course, part of the Headingly recreation complex declared surplus.
- 2020 - Repurposing 30% of Golf Lands Strategy and Transformative Fund (dispense revenue from city owned real estate declared surplus)
- 2020 City Planning document's 25-year vision enables development on Major Open Space (Winnipeg's largest parks which make up half of all city-owned greenspace).
- 2021 - Kildonan Golf Course celebrates 100th anniversary.
- 2021 Planning documents amendment to include amendments to preserve and expand greenspace with creation of Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan By-law and Biodiversity Policy
- 2022 John Blumberg Golf Course removed from surplus properties list, City Council reversed 2013 decision.
- 2022 City began work on Master Greenspace and Natural Corridors Plan and Biodiversity Policy. City approved $700,000 budget to create the plan.
- 2023 Repurposing Golf Courses Strategy documents re written to replace development option with passive recreation.
- 2024 City of Winnipeg became a signatory to the Montreal Pledge - Cities United in Action for Biodiversity
