Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 27, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba 1. Improve the livability of Winnipeg Gas neighbourhoods especially downtown. 2. Fix City infrastructure and invest in its appearance. 3. Create More Opportunity for business and economic development. 4. Leaders must work together on key issues. In a nutshell by Bartley Kives and Aldo Santin a after sifting through the collected Wisdom of 200 of Winnipeg Gas Best and brightest minds the co chairs of mayor Sam katzes Winnipeg City Summit have concluded the City needs to be prettier More liable and More amenable for business. The final report stemming from katzes two Day $ 355,000 civic brainstorming session released yesterday by Summit co chair Lloyd Axworthy contains 16 recommendations for improving the City. They include reducing crime removing litter from the streets re using historic buildings and getting More people to live downtown All things that will inspire Winni Eggers to improve their City Katz said yesterday. The Summit will motivate everybody to action. Lets just Call it a Call to arms said Katz adding he a snot surprised by the common sense nature of the report compiled by Axworthy and fellow co chairs Ida Albo and Leonard Asper with the help of City staff. The sad part is people May look at this and say Well god thatus not sexy. You re right its not sexy but these Are the fundamentals. If our streets Are full of litter and our roads Are falling apart and our crime rate is the highest in Canada then who cares about a wonderful new project built among All the stuff thatus going wrong continued please see Summit b 2 Winnipeg repress. Com c Ity & b business t thursday uly 27, 2006 City editor Steve Pona 697 7292 City. Desk free press. My. Ca b 1 Oil Cash flows Here local real estate firm taps into Alberta Boom business b 8 by Bartley Kives the City and province have worked out a Deal to extend Kenaston Boulevard from Bishop Grandin to the perimeter removing the final obstacle in the Way of Waverley West. Earth moving equipment could Start Clearing lots in Waverley West As soon As the fall of 2007, say jubilant City officials relieved by a last minute Deal to build a freeway through the sprawling suburb on the southwestern fringes of the City. Originally the City wanted to build a $ 64 million freeway through the 1,250 hectare development. The plan included two flyovers to allow pedestrians Access to a town Centre without having to Cross Kenaston Boulevard. In february City Council asked the province which owns half the land that will become Waverley West to Pony up half the freeway Cash. But the province walked setting up a five month stalemate that frustrated City planners eager to begin drawing up neighbourhood plans and developers eager to build on new lots and prevent construction workers from leaving Winnipeg for higher wages in Alberta. The impasse was Only settled during the wee hours of yesterday morning when nip troubleshooter Eugene Kostyra agreed to a Deal that will see the province provide $ 21 million toward a stripped Down $ 38 million Kenaston Boulevard that will not include any flyovers which Cost $ 13 million apiece. Continued please see Waverley West b 2 Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg free press Rev. Harry Lehotsky stands beneath a mural dedicated to his years of work to make the West end a better place. Deal removes last obstacle in Way of Waverley West clean up tighten up smarten up City sum Mitry distilled into 16 recommendations by Jen Skerritt on his 49th birthday a gaunt looking Rev. Harry Lehotsky embraced a longtime Friend As a lasting tribute to his activism was fittingly unveiled in his beloved West end neighbourhood yesterday. More than 100 family friends and neighbourhood colleagues cheered As a portrait of Lehotz Skyes life and work was unveiled As part of a mural on the Side of his Lazarus housing ministry on Maryland Street. The West end Biz commissioned the mural with a Cross scaffolding and neighbourhood residents painted by artists Mandy Van Leeuwen and Michel St. Hilaire As a tribute to the ailing inner City activist. The thing thatus been most precious has been being Able to watch the people change and improve their lives Lehotsky said noting the mural truly reflected the spirit of his work. Lehotsky announced he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in May and has a Mere few months to live. Yesterday the murals portrayal of Lehotz Skyes formerly robust and bearded face made the 49 year Olds sunken cheekbones and frail Frame appear More pronounced. Lehotsky revealed he decided to end his chemotherapy treatments last week after feeling too drained and shut in to enjoy the Short time he has left. Instead of feeling like he has the flu 24/ 7, Lehotsky is taking pain medication to ease his suffering. But even with medication Lehotsky said the pain is sometimes overwhelming. What ism going to do now is try to manage the pain and see How Many Days weeks months god will give me he said during a phone interview last night his voice wavering. Times going fast not knowing How much i have left. Theress lots to think about and theress still lots to do. Lehotsky first moved into the West end 23 years ago with his wife Virginia and started new life ministries on Maryland Street. The evangelical Baptist minister went on to do More than preach and tackled issues plaguing the crime riddled West end. Jen. Skerritt free press. My. Ca West end mural tribute to ailing inner City activist for details see Box on Page b2 ;