Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 3, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba A2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM “It’s not a done deal until it’s a done deal, I guess, but the discussions that we’ve had with the board have been favourable towards the project,” he said. Carlyle said the offer reflects a recent apprais- al of the land’s value. “We don’t play games in trying to acquire land,” he said. In a statement, a provincial spokesperson said the Manitoba government has committed $1.5 million through the conservancy “to help preserve natural infrastructure in the Winnipeg area, including the Lemay Forest.” The amount the federal government would contribute is not known. Protesters continued to block an entrance to the forest Thursday, days after a court order instructed them to leave. Terrance, who did not provide his last name, said he went to the site to protect its trees and history, noting it’s been home to a sweat lodge for decades. “(We have) a sacred fire to bring attention to what’s happening here … It’s not really consid- ered a protest. It’s more just to keep the fire going until all these legal matters are settled,” he said. Chris Dsouza, a resident who opposes the tree removal but isn’t camping out at the site, said he supports the goal to protect the forest. “There’s no approval on building and it doesn’t make sense to me to cut the trees down,” he said. The court order, issued Monday, called for those staying at the site to leave the area and remove any property blocking its owner from accessing it, at least until a hearing considers the matter on Jan. 6. A small group began camping at the property on Dec. 27. Tree clearing stopped the same day. John Wintrup, a planner for the proposal to build a 2,500-unit assisted living facility at the site, said Tochal Development Group has been unfairly left without access to property it legally owns. “We can’t enter the land. We’re blocked from the land. We’ve completely lost control of the property,” he said. The planner alleges he was attacked at the site, shoved by a masked person, and someone also tried to run him over in a vehicle. He alleges he was also chased by a vehicle as he left the site on foot Sunday. Terrance said he’s seen no violence at the site. The Winnipeg Police Service declined to com- ment on enforcement of the court order. “Members of the WPS have been in ongoing contact with persons on site as well as the prop- erty developer and will continue to do so going forward. Reports and allegations of criminal wrongdoing have been forwarded to investiga- tors,” an emailed statement said. City council rejected the assisted living pro- posal in September after city planners deemed it too big for the property. The Manitoba Municipal Board is expected to hear an appeal of that deci- sion early this year. The area’s city councillor said he supports seeking options to preserve the trees. “No development has been approved for Lemay Forest, so there should be no tree cutting. It’s not necessary,” Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River) said. Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) said he’ll urge city council to revise the 2025 preliminary bud- get to transfer forestry funds earmarked for tree planting to help save trees at Lemay instead. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca NEWS FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 VOL 154 NO 45 Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 2025 Winnipeg Free Press, a division of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. Published six days a week in print and always online at 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 3B6, PH: 204-697-7000 CEO / MIKE POWER Editor / PAUL SAMYN Associate Editor Enterprise / SCOTT GIBBONS Associate Editor News / STACEY THIDRICKSON Associate Editor Digital News / WENDY SAWATZKY Director Photo and Multimedia / MIKE APORIUS NEWSMEDIA COUNCIL The Winnipeg Free Press is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to determine acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please send them to: editorialconcerns@freepress.mb.ca. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at www.mediacouncil.ca and fill out the form or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information. 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Call or email before 10 a.m. weekdays or 11 a.m. Saturday City: 204-697-7001 Outside Winnipeg: 1-800-542-8900 press 1 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.; 7 a.m. - noon Saturday; Closed Sunday TO SUBSCRIBE: 204-697-7001 Out of Winnipeg: 1-800-542-8900 The Free Press receives support from the Local Journalism Initiative funded by the Government of Canada MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Firefighters battle a blaze at 546 River Rd. The Firth House had been deemed a total loss by the afternoon, and crews had knocked down whatever was left of the structure after the fire. ROSE KUZINA PHOTO The Firth House was also known as the Hay House after E.H.G.G. Hay, who bought it in 1911. COURTESY OF GORDON GOLDSBOROUGH E.H.G.G. Hay, who the home was originally named after, is pictured in the middle with the dark tie. He said people sometimes buy herit- age homes as a status symbol. “All there really is is bragging rights — that if you own a building that is provincially designated, that means something, that it’s a significant thing historically,” Goldsborough said. He said the loss of any older home is a blow to the growing belief that renovating and reusing older build- ings with strong structures is more environmentally responsible than tearing them down and building from scratch. “I would suggest that we have lost not just a bit of our heritage, but partly also a bit of our environmental sus- tainability,” he said. St. Andrews Mayor Joy Sul said the RM is packed with historic landmarks, particularly along the Red River, in- cluding the Kennedy House, one of the other few early stone houses remain- ing in Manitoba. She doesn’t remember the last time any of those sites were damaged by fire. “It’s very sad … I’m just grateful nobody was hurt,” she said. malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca HISTORIC ● FROM A1 FOREST ● FROM A1 Community centre tagged with hate symbols S EVERAL swastikas were spray-painted onto a Charleswood community centre and surround- ing buildings over the final days of Ha- nukkah. Brent McNeil, president of the West- dale Community Centre, said he came across at least five of the symbols, painted along with the initials “M.K.Y.,” on doors and walls around the building Thursday morning and contacted the police and 311. He said swastikas and “M.K.Y.” were spray-painted on the building last month and cleaned up by the city with- in 24 hours. “It’s been kind of an ongoing situ- ation around here. It’s awful. It’s ter- rible,” he said. “It doesn’t belong in the community centre. It’s hatred, it’s un- acceptable.” Social-media posts documented the graffiti at Westdale in early December and again Tuesday. Hanukkah began Dec. 25 and ended Thursday. “All I can do is condemn what they’ve done,” McNeil said. “It’s so disappoint- ing, within the Christmas and the Ha- nukkah season, for people to be doing this.” McNeil said he doesn’t believe the community centre is being targeted. The hateful graffiti has cropped up around the Charleswood neighbour- hood, he said. “Hopefully, this guy gets caught and this can finally stop in this area,” he said. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Chris Dsouza, a resident who opposes the tree removal but isn’t camping out at the site, said he supports the goal to protect the forest. Wolf dies from gunshot, spurring investigation DENVER — A grey wolf in Colorado was illegally shot and later died of the injury, federal authorities said Thurs- day in the latest flashpoint of Colorado’s controversial, voter-driven initiative to reintroduce the predators to the state. Colorado residents largely in cities voted to reintroduce the animals in 2020, clashing with those in rural areas who feared attacks on their livestock. The first 10 wolves were released a year ago and since then there have been over two dozen claims of depre- dations — when wolves kill livestock or working dogs. The wolf was part of the Copper Creek Pack which was captured in late August after the pack repeatedly killed local livestock in Grand County, just northwest of Denver, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The wolf died in early September and the investigation is ongoing. Officials said the wolf was found in poor condition, emaciated with injuries to its right hind leg, which a necropsy revealed was caused by the gunshot wound. — The Associated Press ;