In North Kildonan, fresh ideas challenge decades of experience

Jeff Browaty hopes to mark his 20th year in politics with another election win in North Kildonan as two challengers attempt to dethrone him.

Browaty, who is seeking his sixth term since 2006, said his re-election could help ensure important initiatives are delivered for the ward.

“There’s been a number of key projects that I’ve been advocating for some time that I really want to see through to completion,” he said.

For example, he said city council plans to begin funding a Henderson Highway improvement project, from Gilmore Avenue to the highway’s city limit, in 2028. The project would improve drainage, fill in sidewalk gaps and add a centre median to improve traffic flow.

“It’s really basic infrastructure in an area with fancy new condos, lots of people living in the area. There’s a lot of density and it’s really a substandard level of service (right now),” said Browaty.

Similar upgrades to north Main Street and ensuring the Chief Peguis Trail extension (from Main Street to Brookside Boulevard) is ready to build once its funded are also key priorities, he said.

“I’m putting out there that my experience and my involvement would be best to ensure that (these projects) get done,” he said.

He also listed “getting the new transit system right” as a top priority, after a massive route overhaul implemented last year triggered complaints from some riders who now require more time and more transfers to reach their destinations.

Browaty said adding a new daytime, weekday bus route that focuses on Henderson Highway would help reduce walking distance for many riders.

“The idea is to reintroduce the former stops and maybe even (add) more to have a bus that goes, say twice an hour down Henderson Highway.”

Two competitors who hope to replace Browaty when Winnipeggers go to the polls on Oct. 28 say they would bring fresh ideas to the ward.

“I got talked into (running) by friends and strangers and all of us were ready for change in North Kildonan. Twenty years is a very long time to have one councillor,’ said Orvie Dingwall.

A health sciences librarian at the University of Manitoba, Dingwall hopes to ensure city council decisions are backed by evidence, community input and expert advice.

She believes inadequate bus service is one of the ward’s most pressing issues, despite noting some residents saw improvements through last year’s network changes.

“For many others, it is worse service. And I hear from so many residents that the new transit system is not working,” said Dingwall.

Winnipeg Transit should add more buses and restore bus stops, especially in front of apartment buildings, to provide better service, she said.

That includes more service along Henderson Highway, to help people reach pharmacies and grocery stores, she said.

“Now (people often) have to take two buses when it used to be one and that’s definitely a barrier,” said Dingwall.

If elected, she promises to push for libraries to be open every day, expand operating hours at pools and add city support for community centre programs.

She called for “sustainability” in funding major projects, stating the city should not expand Kenaston Boulevard or extend Chief Peguis Trail until it secures money to do so, instead of simply taking on debt.

“We’ve got to find a way to pay for them first,” said Dingwall.

The Kenaston Boulevard expansion is expected to cost up to $757 million, while the city could pay up to $899 million to extend Chief Peguis Trail. In both cases, that maximum price estimate assumes the city will fund the construction solely through debt.

Tyler Andersen, an information technology consultant, said he would push for sewage, drainage and road infrastructure upgrades.

A severe June 9 storm highlighted how outdated systems put residents at risk, said Andersen, especially as climate change makes intense weather events more common.

“The infrastructure is really out of date, especially in North Kildonan but (also) across Winnipeg … I had $22,000 worth of (sewage backup) damages in my basement and I had a lot less damage than my neighbours,” said Andersen.

Voters have told him transit service is also falling short, he said.

“A lot of people are really upset because there’s a lot more transfers, there’s a lot more inconsistency,” said Andersen.

The city should boost its own Transit spending and lobby the provincial government to restore an agreement that once saw the senior government pay 50 per cent of Winnipeg Transit’s net operating costs, he said.

“A lot of people are asking for more bus stops around the high-density areas. We have to look at getting more buses on the road so that people don’t have to use an app to figure out if their bus is going to arrive in a reasonable amount of time,” said Andersen.

He also called for the city to prioritize Canadian businesses over American ones when awarding contracts, to support local jobs and “keep the money here in our community.”

joyanne.pursaga@winnipegfreepress.com

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