A day after Winnipeg City Council held a special meeting to vote on the budget, which was approved, council was back at it Thursday, voting on a number of other items.
Council passed a recommendation to rename Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah — which means “Children’s Roadway” in Ojibwe.
The streets’ namesake, Vital-Justin Grandin, was a Roman Catholic priest who died in 1902. The 2015 Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada credits Grandin with leading the campaign for residential schools.
Grandin Street in St. Boniface and the Bishop Grandin Trail will also receive new Cree names — Taapweewin Way and Awasisak Mēskanow.
Council also voting to approve a $21.5 settlement for fraud and deficiencies lawsuits connected to the construction of the Winnipeg Police Headquarters building on Graham Avenue.
The city would receive $21.5 million if the payment is made within 12 months. If the payment is made within 24 months, the city would receive $22.5 million, and if made within 36 months, $23.5 million would go to the city. If it takes any longer than that, the city will receive $28 million.
Approval was also given to True North Real Estate Development Limited (TNRED) on a plan that would give them an option to buy Portage Place.
The minimum purchase price would be $34.5 million. The plan would include a requirement for True North to undertake community consultations on any redevelopment of the mall as well a requirement to maintain public access to the skywalks.
True North needed the city to sign off on the plan because the city, along with the province and the federal government, are all shareholders of the North Portage Development Corporation, which owns the land Portage Place sits on.
And council rejected a recommendation for a settlement with Tartan Towing after the company incorrectly billed the city more than 1.1 million dollars for invalid tows. This will allow the city to sue Tartan Towing if they choose.
-with files from Sam Thompson
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