If you have ever seen the toxic waste bubbling up from beneath the Seine River’s shallow waters behind the shingle factory on Archibald, or the filled in river valley on Marlene Street that was the former St. Vital municipal dump, you may well wonder how the Seine River still exists. Part of the reason the river still exists is because of the kindness of strangers.
The Seine River was saved due to the concerns of members of the public like the residents of Egerton Road in the 1970s, people that formed a series of public groups that culminated in the creation of Save Our Seine (SOS). The Seine River has also had powerful friends. A case in point is the early 2000’s campaign in what is now Royalwood to save the Bois-des-esprits forest.
At the time the Manitoba government, through MHRC, was in a loveless partnership with a developer, the Borger family’s Ladco Company. Their joint venture, Grandin Park, was then developing Royalwood. Ladco had ultimate management authority, and the Province was along for the ride. Gary Doer’s NDP government was forced to sit helplessly in the passenger seat as bulldozers from the Borger family’s construction arm, Borland, knocked down trees in the ecologically sensitive Royalwood forest. Trees that were in the right-of-way of a future Seine River bridge that SOS was desperate to stop.
Then mayor Glen Murray and his planner, Harry Finnigan, were not so secret supporters of SOS. They authorized a study to determine the best bridge location. The City also offered up matching funds to buy back portions of the endangered forest, and directed City Naturalist Cheryl Heming to assist SOS.
As SOS VP at the time I remember meeting at the Legislature with members of the powerful secretariat that quietly managed the government purse to get those matching funds. I did not say much that day. I was essentially the bachelor uncle at the Thanksgiving table instructed not to knock over my wine glass. Still, I had a chair at the table. I saw then SOS President Bev Sawchuk and ED Dave Danyluk work their magic that day. Bev was also the Executive Assistant to Hartley Richardson, arguably the richest man in Manitoba. Bev could open doors, and she was not afraid to walk through them. Bev had the support of the quiet but powerful Kathleen Richardson. “Community activist and philanthropist” does not even begin to describe Kathleen Richardson. The people of Royalwood owe her more than they will ever know.
I remember in 2014 when Genstar development manager Marc Brown told me that Genstar could design an incredible river forest park in South Royalwood if they wanted to. They just weren’t that interested in South Royalwood. Easy for him to say, as even then Qualico was already buying up pieces of Smith Farm, the then largest private landowner in Precinct K.
I am always amused that Qualico’s River Park South development had neither a signature park nor river in it. Still, it made for good branding that served them well for many decades. South Royalwood has a river and it has a park. Are we the real River Park South? I am sure that Qualico will have a wonderful new name for South Royalwood when it is focus-group approved and wrapped up in a pretty bow.
Few Winnipeggers will know that Mayor Sam Katz had two candidates in mind for a funded conservancy in Winnipeg. A final choice was eventually made. The Assiniboine Park Conservancy now exists. There is still no Seine River Conservancy. Had things been different, would Qualico have been a major donor to a new Seine River Conservancy? Their generous patronage to Assiniboine Park is already well known.
While Qualico Winnipeg’s Taylor Farm development in Headingley is not often noted for its environmental sensitivity, Qualico Calgary has an interesting development project that they have recently started. Stantec’s 2024 SOUTHBOW LANDING NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN for the Qualico Community in Cochrane, Alberta is definitely worth looking at. Besides over 90 acres of Environmental Reserve (PR) their plan includes 51 acres of “Voluntary” Environmental Reserve. (I think I like the word “Voluntary.”)
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Excerpt: Natural Areas Integration
“Southbow Landing takes an integrated approach to natural systems. South Cochrane contains a rich variety of natural features, from the beautiful and environmentally sensitive Bow River Valley, and the natural escarpment, to the rolling knob and kettle terrain dotted with aspen stands and wetlands. As a tribute to this rich endowment on the land, Southbow Landing will be thoughtfully designed to make a significant contribution to environmental stewardship in Cochrane.
Southbow Landing will feature naturalized stormwater management facilities; restored native landscapes; green streets and boulevard trees for song bird and small animal habitat; accommodation for potential LID measures and bioswales as part of the open space system; and natural and manicured open spaces. The Southbow Natural Areas Plan was developed to further support natural area integration and is an appendix to this Neighbourhood Plan
6.1 Riverfront Nature Park
Southbow Landing will make a significant contribution of over 70 acres of land towards a Riverfront Nature Park to steward the environmentally sensitive Bow River Valley. The Bow River forms a regionally significant ecological corridor supporting the movement and dispersion of flora and fauna. The Riverfront Nature Park can act as an educational opportunity for students through unique programming that can be undertaken with the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee and Rocky View Schools.
The Riverfront Nature Park will allow a formalized connection between Cochrane and Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park through a pedestrian and cycling bridge that will be built at the discretion of Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.
6.2 Wetlands
Southbow Landing understands the important high quality ecological goods and services provided by wetlands on the landscape. These include but are not limited to biodiversity and ecological health, water quality improvements, hydrologic function, and social, recreational and educational opportunities.
A total of 66 wetlands were identified, assessed and classified within the Southbow Landing lands. These wetlands range from Class 1 Ephemeral Ponds to Class IV Semi-permanent Ponds. Wetlands are concentrated in the western half of the Southbow Landing lands, within grazed rangelands. As a result, many of the wetlands within the site have been accessed by livestock and grazed. Individual wetlands are proposed to be removed as part of the Neighbourhood Plan development.
6.2.1 Natural Wetland Park and Symbolic Gateway
Class IV Semi-permanent Ponds near/on the western border of the site have been identified as environmentally significant and will be incorporated into Environmental Reserve within the proposed development as a Natural Wetland Park. A wetland retention and monitoring plan will be implemented to ensure Wetland 6 and 7 will retain their ecological functions. Both wetlands will remain semi-permanent marshes with Class IV status adjacent to Highway 22. The retained wetlands will have no direct discharge from the adjacent Pond D.
The proximity of this Wetland Park to Highway 22 and the urban border at the edge of Town allows them to play a prominent role as a gateway feature for the Town of Cochrane. The Natural Wetland Park will become an iconic gateway for the Town of Cochrane, reinforcing the community’s resolute commitment to be stewards of the natural environment it resides in.
6.2.2 Riverfront Nature Park Constructed Wetland
To mitigate the loss of wetlands in the central area of Southbow Landing, a large constructed wetland with high functional value shall be constructed within the Riverfront Nature Park. This constructed wetland will be developed to provide higher quality ecological goods and services than the degraded wetlands being removed. In doing so, Southbow Landing will endeavor to balance the wetland function lost in the central area with this restoration work.
6.3 Tree Stands
The Bow River Valley is recognized as an Environmentally Significant Area and is an important wildlife corridor for the region which contains key habitat for wildlife. Extensive coniferous and mixed wood forests, adjacent native fescue grasslands, connectivity to other habitats, and diverse breeding bird and uncommon/ sensitive bird habitat contribute to the significance of the habitats found on the river valley escarpment within the Southbow Landing lands. Escarpment communities providing key habitat are recommended for retention and incorporation into Environmental Reserve within the proposed community.
6.4 Tree Stands
Forested areas providing continuous cover and those tree stands surrounding wetlands to be retained are recommended for preservation and incorporation into the proposed development. The retention of native forest habitat within the river valley, on the escarpment, and around retained wetlands is expected to preserve important wildlife habitat and movement corridors through the region. Tree retention is a particular focus within the 20.3 ha (50.26 ac) of protected escarpment, where approximately 89% of the trees are intended to be preserved. These contiguous tree stands will contribute significantly to the overall tree protection strategy for the Southbow plan area.
In addition to the trees that are intended to be preserved, there are a significant number of boulevard trees that will be planted throughout the community within the green streets and will provide for song bird and small animal habitat and connectivity. Opportunities to preserve additional existing tree stands will also be explored, wherever feasible, within public parks (Municipal Reserve) during subsequent planning stages.
Design of constructed public open spaces will include a planting plan, which would identify new tree planting, as well as any areas where protection of existing tree stands is being considered.
6.5 Education and Partnerships
In cooperation with the Cochrane Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC), opportunities for education and community engagement will be examined and developed to promote stewardship and community awareness throughout Southbow Landing.
6.6 Riparian Areas
Riparian areas adjacent to the Bow River within the Southbow Landing lands consists of largely unvegetated embankment (approximately 3 to 5 m high) that is comprised largely of river cobble with intermittent stands of riverine forest. Riparian areas act as a floodway and provide essential habitat for both flora and fauna. Riparian Areas associated with the Southbow Landing lands are recommended for retention as Environmental Reserve within the proposed Southbow Landing development”…
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While Save Our Seine is the lead stakeholder in public discussions on the future Qualico developments in both South Royalwood and Vermette, I would like to make a personal comment on future Seine River park creation in SE Winnipeg.
In 2014 I appeared before the Riel Community Committee regarding the Precinct K Area Structure Plan. Then City Councillor Dan Vandal, then the councillor for South Royalwood, threw environmentalists such as myself a bone that evening. He directed that PP&D create an updated greenway plan for the Seine River for river reaches from Warde Avenue southwards to the Floodway. That is the oldest planning request by far still waiting in the queue at PP&D. Current area councillor Brian Mayes recently tried to secure the $500,000 funding for that study. He has had no success to date.
A City-funded Seine River study may be moot anyways. Landmark and Qualico are already designing future urban growth along the Seine River as we speak. The time for such important City planning was really 10 years ago, not today.
While Ladco was essentially forced to take the righteous path, even they must have been surprised how enthusiastically the community greeted Royalwood’s new forest. The Bois-des-esprits is beloved by local residents and visitors alike. Reselling a home in Royalwood is surely easier because of the park. Property values must reflect the value-added local greenspace as well.
This month stakeholders will meet with Landmark to discuss a new park in Precinct K South. In 6 months, SOS and local residents will meet with Landmark to discuss a new river park in St. Vital Perimeter South (formerly known as St. Germain-Vermette.) The Seine River does not make any distinctions between the two areas. Fish and wildlife do not care. These two areas are only separated by the width of the Perimeter Highway. They are all part of the same greenway.
The City’s PP&D department has essentially abdicated future Seine River park planning to developers and planning consultants. In this case, fortuitously, both of them are the same in SE Winnipeg. Landmark and Qualico are currently designing both of the new parks. By yet another coincidence, the planning consultants who helped designed the Precinct K plan in 2013/2014 are the current development managers for Qualico. As novelist Carol Shields noted, Winnipeg is a small city indeed.
And so, finally, I go back to the beginning of this overly long midnight ramble. The Seine River, as always, depends on the kindness of strangers. In this case those strangers are Landmark and Qualico. They are designing our City of the next 30 years, which is also our City of the next 200 years. There is chance here for them to do something truly extraordinary. I hope that they appreciate this, and that they respond with the bold vision that this moment requires. The Seine River has been lucky so far. Let’s all hope that its luck continues.