Big plans unveiled for Polo Park development

Polo Park to be transformed Plans were unveiled to transform the open space behind CF Polo Park into a mixed-use development. Taylor Brock has the details.

After more than a decade sitting vacant, the vision for a new development around CF Polo Park has been unveiled, featuring park and retail spaces, bike paths along with thousands of apartments.

On Thursday, Cadillac Fairview and Shindico released the master plan for the 84 acres of space surrounding the CF Polo Park in St. James. Boasting a 'complete community', the plan teases a mix of residential, retail and green space.

"It will be a new and exciting place to be," said Justin Zarnowski, the head legal counsel for Shindico.

It has been a long time coming. The Canad Inns stadium was demolished in 2010, and in the decade since much of the site has sat empty.

"You can literally see tumbleweeds out here sometimes," said Coun. Sherri Rollins, the chair of the city's property and development committee.

Rollins said she is glad to see the development take off after years of discussions, many of which were touch and go for a while. In 2020, plans for the massive development were paused following opposition from the Winnipeg Airports Authority.

It opposed changes to a bylaw that would allow for the development, citing noise complaint concerns.

The bylaw was repealed this summer, which allowed the development to take this next step forward.

"For me, it feels like a long time coming," Rollins said. "Certainly, it was something that last term we worked on pretty diligently."

As for the specific plans, Shindico has said it plans to erect mixed-use buildings between six and 12 storeys tall housing 4,000 apartments. It will include new parks and open spaces, private and public streets, and pedestrian and cycling connections centred around the mall.

''There is all the services, you can go shopping, there's a grocery store. Our view is that it's such a desirable place to live that really there's no limit to what you can build," Zarnowski said.

The City of Winnipeg said it needs to review the plans, which would include compliance with airport vicinity regulations.

"I can't wait for cranes in the sky," Rollins said. "It's not formally before me as chair of property and development, but I hope I get to see it soon."

It may be a little while yet. No date has been set for when construction might begin. When shovels do finally hit the ground, the entire development is expected to take 10 years to complete.

However, Zarnowski said people should be able to start moving in 18 to 24 months after construction begins.