River Heights residents say 40-unit townhouse complex raises traffic, noise concerns

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Peggy

Neighbours living next to a proposed townhouse complex in Winnipeg’s River Heights area say the project would bring too much density to their community and increase traffic at an already congested corner.

Leona Murphy, who lives at the corner of Centennial Street and John Brebeuf Place — just north of Grant Avenue and east of Kenaston Boulevard — is one of three residents who wrote letters to the city, objecting to a City Centre community committee decision to allow a variance on the project.

“It’s going to affect our property value, traffic, noise. I live right on … John Brebeuf [Place], so I’m going to have the bulk of all the traffic and stuff. I just don’t think it’s right,” Murphy, who has lived in the neighbourhood since the 1970s, told CBC News.

The plans call for 40 units in three buildings, each three storeys, at 1811 John Brebeuf Pl., on a decommissioned railway corridor. The townhouses would be built directly across the back lane from Murphy’s home.

“There’s too many. Like, 40 units … we’re not even 40 houses down this street,” said Murphy.

A hearing at city council’s appeal committee is set for next Wednesday.

Paula Sturrey, who lives next door to Murphy, also wrote a letter opposing the plan.

“The biggest concern is the traffic, because right now, it’s a two-way stop,” and Sturrey said there are “near-miss accidents on a daily basis.”

The proposed townhouses would be south of an existing condo development that was built on the same former rail corridor. Plans for condos, approved in 2008, originally called for 36 units covering the entire corridor between Corydon Avenue and John Brebeuf Place, but those plans were later cut down to 18 units.

“So it surprises me now that … they’re going to start these plans up again for the continuance of 40 units, which would be a lot of people and a lot of traffic,” said Fern Kostelnick, who lives in a house directly across from the existing condo development.

Kostelnick says vibrations from the construction caused cracks in her home, and she worries the same could happen in houses near the proposed townhouses.

Loss of green space

In addition to bringing increased traffic, neighbours say they would lose a green space which they use for recreation and observing nature. Murphy says she often sees deer walking by in the morning.

“I know we need housing in the city, but we don’t necessarily need every tiny little space filled up. There has to be some room for nature,” she said.

“There’s so many areas along Corydon that are open. They could easily build there. I don’t know why they wanna build back here.”

An elderly woman is standing outside, wearing a black jacket with the hood pulled up, and sunglasses covering her eyes. — Leona Murphy lives at the corner of John Brebeuf Place and Centennial Street. She worries about increased traffic at the intersection. (Cameron MacLean/CBC)

Coun. John Orlikow, who represents the River Heights area and sits on the City Centre committee, was not available for an interview.

Brennan Johnson and Brendan Salakoh are planners with the developer, Landmark Planning and Design. They say the land was already zoned for multi-family development, which is rare to find in an established neighbourhood like River Heights.

The variance application would allow for three additional units and a height increase from 35 feet (10.7 metres) to 38.5 feet (11.7 metres), the planners say.

“Neither of the variances really relate to traffic, but of course that is something that we consider as part of our planning process,” Salakoh said in an interview.

There is no direct connection to the back lane, with a fence separating the lane from an access road servicing the condos and the proposed townhouses, he said.

“The public works department has had a chance to review this application … and there were no concerns or safety issues related to traffic noted related to this proposal,” Johnson said.

A vote of the appeal committee is the final decision on the matter and not subject to further appeal.