‘Bringing a vibrancy’: Development at former Winnipeg military base underway

A 24-hour gas and convenience bar is going up at Naawi-Oodena, the site of the former Kapyong Barracks.

It’s a small part of an extensive redevelopment of the site, which was laid out in a master plan four years ago.

The former military base on Kenaston Boulevard closed in 2004, when its occupants moved to Canadian Forces Base Shilo, near Brandon. After years of legal wrangling, the site was repatriated to Treaty One First Nations to serve as Canada’s largest urban reserve land.

Of the 160 acres at the site, 109 are Treaty One-held land. Block A is set to be developed into a mixed-use business park.

2:03 First Nations leaders break ground on Winnipeg urban reserve: Naawi-Oodena

“Right now on Block A of Naawi, we have a 24-hour gas and convenience bar going up,” said Cody Mercer, chief development officer for the Treaty One Development Corporation.

“It’s kind of the first smaller project, but it’s a nice little starting project for us to get things rolling, get some infrastructure in the ground, and get going.”

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Mercer told 680 CJOB that the gas bar is the first of many projects to come as part of the ongoing redevelopment.

“We have an office complex being worked on. That should start in the next year or so,” he said.

“We have plans for everything to do with our master plan that we released a few years ago — a health centre, student housing, mixed use — just bringing a vibrancy to that area.”

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