Clash at city hall over rezoning of historic curling club’s parking lot

The City of Winnipeg is looking to rezone a parking lot used by the Granite Curling Club.

A historical curling club and proponents of an affordable housing project clashed at a Winnipeg city hall hearing over a parking lot on Thursday.

The City of Winnipeg wants to rezone a lot used by the Granite Curling Club to pave the way for a housing development. However, Granite board members say the loss of the parking could jeopardize operations.

In the end the city’s property committee was deadlocked in a 2-2 vote, meaning the matter moves to the mayor’s executive policy committee with no recommendation.

“It’s going to put us at a point where we’d break even and then that would put us at a point where we’d be losing money and we won’t be able to survive,” said Jamie Hay, general manager of the Granite Curling Club.

The city wants to subdivide and rezone the lot, so an 11-storey, 110-unit housing project with an affordable component, can rise on the west parking lot of the club.

The property and development committee heard the city would partner with the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation for the project.

Councillors were told this needs to be done as soon as possible to take advantage of federal housing money, while addressing the housing crisis

“Two hundred people living there without any investment in additional infrastructure required whatsoever, this is maximizing the use of city infrastructure,” the delegation said.

However, this would mean only 15 parking stalls would remain on the lot in question, and Granite board executives say that loss poses an existential threat to the club.

They say the club could lose 300 members who rely on that parking.

“Without adequate parking, bonspiels would need to be cancelled causing the club to lose revenue. So if good parking is not readily available for evening and weekend leagues, many members would go to other clubs,” Hay said.

The curling club wants the rezoning paused to see if a solution can be reached.

Club executives say they’re being left out of the plan and that it’s being rushed.

“The city has screwed up their own process and now they’re weaponizing that screwup,” said Christian Pierce, secretary of the curling club.

Granite’s board says it has a petition with a thousand people opposing the project.

However, there were some members of the club on hand who support the housing plan as is.

“I’m a curler just like them and I couldn’t be more disappointed of what the board of my curling club is doing in my name,” a member of the delegation said.

The club would still have a smaller lot on the east side of the building, but board members say it’s not big enough.

The committee laid the matter over until March 6.