Granite Curling Club, city await judge’s decision in battle over housing, parking

A Manitoba judge has reserved a decision in a long-running battle with the City of Winnipeg over a plan to build housing on its parking lot.

Justice Amiram Kotler must decide whether city councillors broke the rules when they voted to subdivide and rezone the west parking lot next to the club, allowing for the construction of a 111-unit apartment building.

The plan would eliminate 60 of the club’s 80 existing parking spaces, which the club says it needs for its members to use, and to generate revenue by renting to workers in the surrounding area.

The city, which owns the building and leases it to the club, has since revised plans to replace most of the lost parking, but club officials say they’re still not satisfied.

The clubhas asked a judge to quash council’s decision, which it says goes against the City of Winnipeg Charter and planning documents, and violates basic legal principles of fairness.

The city is working with non-profit developer UWCRC 2.0 to develop the site as part of its effort to fast-track housing construction in order to access $122.4 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

A ruling by the Manitoba Municipal Board last year recommended the city not issue a development permit for construction until it came up with an “adequate” parking plan that supports “the ongoing operational sustainability of the club, to the satisfaction of the Granite Curling Club” and city department directors.

Despite that recommendation, city officials told councilthey could go ahead with the rezoning because the municipal board’s ruling only applied to the later development permit stage of the process. They also argued the board did not have the jurisdiction to make its recommendation because its powers are limited to matters related to bylaws and parking issues are dealt with through permits.

The curling club’s lawyer, James Mercury, called the city administration’s December 2025 report advising council to disregard the municipal board’s recommendation a “flagrant violation” of the club’s rights.

“There has to be due process,” he said.

“There has to be respect for cherished institutions and heritage institutions in the city of Winnipeg. And you don’t, simply because there’s federal funding available, … railroad this process through.”

Mercury also told the court club representatives were not allowed to speak about the rezoning at council in December because city staff told them they couldn’t introduce new information about a matter that had already gone through a hearing.

Mercury said neither the club nor the municipal board was given a chance during the hearing or at council to respond to the city’s claim it did not have proper jurisdiction.

“The board was not given any indication there was a jurisdictional challenge,” he said.

However, city lawyer Kalyn Bomback says the issue of jurisdiction was raised during the municipal board hearing and that the issue of parking is “separate and distinct from rezoning.”

She said the board’s decision should not be interpreted as giving the club veto power over the city’s land use decisions, pointing out the board later clarified the word “adequate” was to be interpreted to mean “reasonable” and negotiated “in good faith.”

“This entails negotiations, some give and take. It doesn’t mean all or nothing,” Bomback said.

She also said the city is negotiating a new lease with the club that will address the concerns about parking.

City staff held a pop-up event outside the curling club to present updated parking plans last week. The new plans would replace about 50 of the 60 spaces lost due to the development. The updated plan retains 20 spaces on the west side lot.

An additional 10 spaces would be built on the existing vehicle approach to the parking lot and flood pumping station. The city would remove the boulevard along the north side of Granite Way to add about 15 new spaces, and adjust the east parking lot to add about four more spaces.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, club secretary Christian Pierce said the organization has told the city its plan “still isn’t adequate” because many spaces would not be available during construction and there’s no guarantee street parking would be available for the Granite.

The city’s land enhancement office manager, Richard Mahé, told reporters those spaces would be reserved for the use of the club members.

Court also heard construction on the building could begin as early as August. If that happens before the judge delivers his decision, Pierce said the club would seek a court order to stop it.

The judge’s decision is expected later this year.