Glimmer of hope in blighted Point Douglas

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This article was published 07/07/2023 (1051 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Point Douglas residents, who feared they’d be forced to live for a long time near another massive heap of fire-scorched rubble after this week’s blaze at the historic Vulcan Metal Works site, received positive news Thursday.

Mayor Scott Gillingham’s office said cleanup of debris from a blaze that razed three buildings on Main Street in February, has been given the go-ahead.

“The cleanup (was) delayed by a provincial stop work order, related to asbestos,” spokesman Colin Fast said on Thursday. “I understand that order has now been lifted for two of the buildings, so the cleanup process can begin.”

It came as a relief to Marshall Wiebe, who lives behind the three buildings, just north of Jarvis Avenue.

“It burned in February, and it still looks like Berlin after the war,” said Wiebe.

“I don’t know how this mess could remain for so long… This rubble wouldn’t stand for one day if this was St. James, Charleswood or Whyte Ridge,” he said.

“I’m pleased the cleanup process can finally begin. Thank you to the mayor’s office.”

The fire started in the Surplus Direct store, at 845 Main St., early Feb. 11 and spread to businesses on either side: Top Pro Roofing to the north and Lord Selkirk Furniture to the south.

Now that the wrecking ball can descend on that eyesore, residents have to contend with Tuesday’s site, which is on Sutherland Avenue from Maple Street North to Argyle Street North.

Catherine Flynn, acting chair of the Point Douglas Residents Committee, who is also an archeologist, said she was sad to see the historic complex, which had housed Vulcan Iron Works, be destroyed. It was where metal workers put down their tools and walked out, effectively beginning what resulted in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike.

Flynn, who hopes the wreckage will be cleared quickly, wants the site commemorated.

“The iron skeleton of the building is still there” she said. “It’s not the building itself, but if any of that could be kept that would be super cool. It should have been a national historic site. We want something positive to come from this so we would like to see something better there now.”

Community activist Sel Burrows said it takes more time to approve removal of the rubble of old buildings destroyed by fire due to asbestos.

“I’ve been told it will cost a half-million dollars extra for the rubble from the Main Street buildings to be removed if they are deemed to have asbestos,” Burrows said. “But if there is asbestos there, and it stays there for months, it is free to blow around (and) that’s not safe.

“The most important thing is to get Main Street and Vulcan cleaned up as quickly as possible and hopefully new businesses will go there.”

“The most important thing is to get Main Street and Vulcan cleaned up as quickly as possible and hopefully new businesses will go there.”

Coun. Cindy Gilroy said the city began issuing bills to owners of vacant buildings for the cost of fire response services earlier this year.

In addition, city bureaucrats are working on a report that investigates the ramifications of having the city clear debris from demolition sites and add the cost to owners’ property tax bills.

“For the people in Point Douglas, they are left with such eyesores and it’s not fair to the neighbourhood,” she said.

She said the city has issued a tender seeking proposals to remove rubble from a Sherbrook Street apartment building that was destroyed by fire.

On Thursday, crews continued to monitor the Vulcan Iron Works site to make sure the blaze has been completely extinguished.

A Winnipeg Fire Paramedic spokeswoman said about 100 firefighters and paramedics were involved in the fire fight: from 5 a.m. on July 4 to the evening of July 5.

“At any time there were approximately 15 crews and apparatus at the scene,” she said. “Residents on three streets were temporarily evacuated due to embers and possible fire spread early on in the fire response. Firefighters worked to protect these neighbouring homes and buildings.”

Two commercial buildings were evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the fire hasn’t been released.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Kevin Rollason
Reporter

Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.

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