$24M parkade sale passes city council

The plan to sell a city-owned parkade has passed despite becoming mired in politics at Winnipeg City Hall on Wednesday.

Five councillors had used a procedural tactic in a failed bidto stall a vote on the $24-million deal, which was not part of the official agenda.

However, Mayor Sam Katz and a handful of other councillors voted to have the late item added to the agenda for debate and final decision.

'Why not wait and sell it and get a better price?' Coun. Harvey Smith

Katz said he wants to use the cash from the deal to build new parking structures and eliminate some surface parking lots downtown.

Katz said in the eastern part of Winnipeg's Exchange District, about 1,500 new spots are needed to meet demand.

Four councillors Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge), Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre), Lillian Thomas (Elmwood) and Dan Vandal (St. Boniface) votedagainst the proposal.

Smith and Vandal said the timing was wrong.

"Never, ever, ever, ever, sell a prime asset in a recession," said Vandal.

"Sure the price offered now is satisfactory at this time, with the depressed economy," said Smith. "But why not wait and sell it, and get a better price?," he said.

Toronto company shows interest in property

The interested buyer of the three-storey property is Toronto-based Crown Realty Partners, which owns the nearby shopping area, Winnipeg Square.

Support from two-thirds of council was required to add the matter to Wednesday's agenda.Fourteen councillorswere at the meeting, which meant 10 supporters were needed. But just nine agreed to include it.

The same four councillors who opposed the sale, along with John Orlikow (River Heights), had opposed hearing the proposal on Wednesday.

Many of the same councillors blocked a motion in September to add a late item on wheeled trash carts to the formal agenda.

The matter was eventually supported by some of them at an official vote held later, but some councillors said they initially blocked the motion because they oppose anything being rushed through without the public being properly notified about it.

At that time, Katz used his authority to call a special meeting of council the following week to discuss and vote on the single item.

On Wednesday, Katz did the same thing, but didn't wait nearly as long to set the special meeting.