Plan to build housing next to Granite Curling Club passes key vote at city council committee

February 18, 2025 Canuck

A proposal clearing the way to build affordable housing next to the Granite Curling Club passed a key vote at city hall on Tuesday.

The executive policy committee (EPC) unanimously passed a motion approving the subdivision and rezoning of the west parking lot on the west side of the century-old building at 22 Granite Way.

The Granite Curling Club is almost as old as the city itself, operating in its current location since 1912. However, members of the club’s board say a plan to put housing on the parking lot beside the heritage building threatens its future.

Mayor Scott Gillingham says he believes a solution to the club’s concerns can be found.

“I am very confident there’ll be curling at the Granite Curling Club for many years to come,” Gillingham told reporters after the vote.

On Tuesday, Gillingham and the executive policy committee voted to subdivide and rezone the lot. It included an amendment, from Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) directing city staff to work with Granite executives and the developer to support the club’s sustainability “to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works and the Director of Planning, Property and Development.”

The same motion failed to pass at the property committee meeting last week. Santos and the committee chair, Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood), voted in favour, while Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) and Coun. Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan) voted against.

City owns both club and parking lot

The city, which owns both the club and the parking lot, wants to separate the two in order to build a 111-unit affordable housing building.

It would have 55 market-rent units, another 12 at 79 per cent of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s median market rent, and 14 at 69 per cent of that rate. The remaining 30 rentals would be geared to income.

The club’s board says the plan threatens the club’s future because it would lose about 70 per cent of its parking spots. It says the loss of parking would lead to curlers choosing other locations to play, and they would also lose out on money from renting those spaces during the day.

They want the city to guarantee them parking in the new development and financial support for maintenance of the heritage building.

Christian Pierce, the board’s secretary, says the motion the executive policy committee approved doesn’t address the club’s concerns.

“The motion does not provide much assurance to the Granite Curling Club, as it’s subject to the satisfaction of the city — who are the applicants in this situation. So essentially the city needs to sign off on their [own] plans,” Pierce said in an interview.

Pierce also questioned why the city only approached one developer, UWCRC 2.0, rather than going through a public request for proposals.

In September, council voted to delegate authority to the city’s chief administrative officer to negotiate the sale of eight city-owned buildings, including 22 Granite Way. The property was identified by the city’s land enhancement office as a potential site for development, using money from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

The city and developer have offered the club the use of 15 parking spaces in the new development, and suggested more parking could be available across the street at the Canada Life building. They have also offered to include a revenue stream from the new building that would support the long-term maintenance of the curling club.

The club says those offers don’t go far enough to alleviate their concerns, and they have asked for guarantees of how much money they would receive. They also say Canada Life has refused to guarantee them continuing access to its parking spaces.

Council is set to vote on the plan at its meeting on Feb. 27. Pierce says if council approves the proposal, the club may appeal the decision to the Manitoba Municipal Board.

Plan to build housing next to Granite Curling Club passes key vote at city hall

9 hours ago

Duration 1:28

A proposal clearing the way to build affordable housing next to the Granite Curling Club passed a key vote at city hall Tuesday. The plan has sparked fierce debate between members of the club and housing advocates.

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