Governance House project clears hurdle

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has cleared another hurdle in its efforts to build a new headquarters on the site of a former Manitoba Hydro building in St. James.

Last week, city councillors on the Assiniboia Community Committee approved the AMC’s plans to build the 250,000-sq. ft. Governance House on Madison Street west of Polo Park Shopping Centre.

The project was shelved earlier this year following complaints that the proposed closure of a backlane between Madison and Kensington Street north of Silver Avenue would have a negative impact on local businesses.

“They were concerned about their freight coming in and out of the area, and the ability for the semi-trailers to pull in and back in to their businesses,” AMC Grand Chief Ron Evans said.

“They’ve been accommodated, however. We made sure they could use the property and that it wasn’t fenced in. We dealt with them to their satisfaction, and that allowed the committee to go ahead with the approval of the lane closure.”

The AMC sent out a consultant to meet with the businesses to try and ease their concerns over the lane closure, and to assure business owners that their ability to receive deliveries would not be impacted.

Marion Kotelniski, owner of Kotelniski Overhead Doors Ltd. on Kensington, was one of the business owners who first objected to the planned development.

Kotelniski said that if the changes to the area go as planned, he will have no objection.

“Yes, there were some issues before, because of our truck and tractor access. Since then, they’ve kind of clarified the situation,” he said.

“They’ve agreed to make a bigger public roadway, so if it turns out according to their drawings, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Homeowners living near the site of the project will not be affected by the lane closure. However, some are still concerned about the impact it could have on the area.

“It probably will just create more traffic,” said Ron Hosler, who has lived in the area for close to 15 years.

“I don’t really think this is a good area to put any major new development, because it’s already congested enough around here as it is, in terms of buildings and businesses.”

Shannon Farmer, a Kensington Street resident, disagrees. She said the project will be good for the area.

“I think it sounds like a good thing, actually,” Farmer said.

“It’s bringing these people over here and I think that’s great for them, and good for the neighbourhood in general, and in terms of bringing notoriety to the area, having something like this down here,” she said.

The next step in the project involves having Long Plain First Nation, AMC’s partner in the project, ask the federal government to recognize the site as an extension of Long Plain, giving it urban reserve status.

When that is accomplished, construction will begin on the 10-storey building.

“We’re moving forward now. We can actually begin getting the building underway. We just need to finalize a few matters,” said Evans.