Demolition approved of former A&B Sound building

The City of Winnipeg’s executive policy committee has voted unanimously to let demolition plans proceed for the former A&B Sound building downtown. The building sits across from the MTS Centre and has been selected as the future home for a hotel, parkade and office building. The city also voted unanimously to provide Longboat Development Corporation with $5 million to create the building’s proposed parkade, money the city collected from selling its parkade in Winnipeg Square. Though the proposals passed successfully through the executive policy committee, they must still both be approved by city council.

City sets $10M aside for rapid transit condo developments

Gem Equities Inc. will be guaranteed loans worth $10 million from the City of Winnipeg to develop condos and apartments, the Winnipeg Free Press reported. The city’s executive policy committee approved the plan to build 900 housing units in townhouses and medium-rise apartment towers built on the Fort Rouge Yards. The developer will integrate the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor into the plan, and the city is counting on the revenue from new developments along the corridor to pay for the transit project. Gem Equities’ redevelopment plan will cost $79.4 million. The $10 million comes from a loan from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities issued through the city.

Jury to deliberate verdicts in murder case

A jury has begun deliberating the fate of three people accused of both conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder. Ivan Radocaj was beaten to death in September 2007. His ex-wife Melody Sanford, her friend Rita Cushnie and Cushnie’s son Donald Richard pleaded not guilty to the crimes, the Winnipeg Free Press reported. The jury heard over two weeks of evidence before being sequestered last Wednesday to reach their verdicts. The Crown presented testimony that Sanford planned Radocaj’s death, and the three accused allegedly met to discuss Radocaj’s murder-for-hire. Both Sanford and Richard seek only manslaughter charges, and Cushie seeks an acquittal, for her role was on the “periphery” of what happened, her lawyer said.

Executive policy committee fails to approve garbage, recycling plan

The City of Winnipeg’s executive policy committee tied in a vote to approve the Garbage and Recycling Master Plan that would place automated garbage cans and recycling boxes throughout the city by the end of 2012. The plan would cost $50 per house to cover new carts, summer yard-waste collection and new bulk waste provisions. Councillors in North Kildonan, Charleswood-Tuxedo and St. James-Brooklands opposed the plan, while Mayor Sam Katz and councillors for St. Norbert and St. Boniface voted in favour. The plan will come before council later this month.

Winnipeg’s own beer on the way

Vessels of water placed around Winnipeg last week will be turned into Winnipeg’s own special beer. Budweiser placed the vessels around the MTS Centre and the Forks in celebration of the Winnipeg Jets’ return, Metro Winnipeg reported. The brewery asked passers-by to leave good luck wishes on the vessels. The water will be shipped to Edmonton to be transformed into “Welcome Back Brew” commemorating the return of the Jets. The brew will only be available in Winnipeg and will debut in 2012 with a special kick-off event.

Published in Volume 66, Number 8 of The Uniter (October 19, 2011)