Thanks to Cindy Tugwell, from Friends of Upper Fort Garry (also the Manitoba Governor for Heritage Canada), for providing me with this article from the Winnipeg Free Press last Saturday, which contained some good news for our cause:

The article stated that “under the Heritage Act archeologist Sid
Kroeker went searching for the round, 26-meter-in diameter limestone foundation of the northwest bastion. The exact location is important because the city and the developer had committed to building the highrise apartment on the edge, but not on top, of the original fort’s footprint. So a back hoe dug deep into several predetermined locations of the parking lot near the corner of Main and Assiniboine. Out popped what could be the Friends of Upper Fort Garry’s ace in the archeloogical hole, as it were. Because much to archeologist Sid Kroeker’s surprise, the northwest bastion wasn’t where he, the city or the developer thought it was. It was approximately three metres or 10 feet further west than they anticipated, and it may make the development plan unviable. The lot if now 10 feet shorter. That’s not even allowing for any government order that may demand another metre of
buffer between the proposed highrise and the fort footprint. Ruben Spletzer of Crystal Developers had no comment. Long live Upper Fort Garry.”

That’s good news indeed, and not just for the current issue; anything learned about the original plan of the Fort is good news!

I’ll keep everyone abreast of what happens next as I am able.

– JGM

Hello all,

If you read the October newsletter (if not, please send me a message at malekjon’@’shaw.ca) you will have noted there was some confusion regarding the cut off date of the petition for the Upper Fort Garry gate (available at http://siteocanada.start-a-petition.com). To clarify, it is still operational; I am in contact with the Friends of Upper Fort Garry, and I am just waiting for her to tell me when it is best to hand it over. As of today, it is still active and if you haven’t signed it just yet, you still can. Remember, the more names we are able to collect, the more impact it will have.

Best wishes,

— JGM