Curling club wants build halted, city’s decisions reviewed

The Granite Curling Club worries a nearby housing complex threatens the club’s viability.

The Granite Curling Club has filed a new court action asking a judge to review and quash the City of Winnipeg decisions on a controversial project that would construct a 110-unit housing complex on its parking lot — and to issue an injunction stopping work for now.

The new notice of application, filed in the Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday, comes as a judge rules his decision on an earlier court application from the club over how the city moved forward on approving the development. The developer has since begun construction.

The club’s application for judicial review asks for a judge to take a second look at decisions made by the city and its directors to approve a parking plan for the project, along with the condition on the project’s development permit approved by city council in February. The club says the development permit should not have been issued until the parking plan was approved, and that its rights and the club’s viability are threatened.

The club wants to receive and respond to a formal parking plan and argues the development permit should not have been issued until then. “Independently of the first application, the city issued the development permit before the parking plan condition was met and without adequately explaining how that condition had been satisfied,” reads the court filing. The filing says the development permit was premature, unreasonable and procedurally unfair.

The club’s application asks the court to review the city’s decisions and quash the permits and require the city to produce materials used to make the decisions. It also seeks a court order requiring the city to remove barricades it placed on the parking lot on Oct. 6, and to allow the club to use the lot. The club said the project would threaten its ability to operate. Erik Pindera: epindera@winnipegfreepress.com