City backs down, North End church closer to adding its own pearly gates

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This article was published 28/11/2025 (237 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A North End church seeking permission to install a security fence to combat repeated threats has seen its prayers partially answered.

St. John Cantius Church at 846 Burrows Ave., applied for a city variance to build a nine-foot (2.74-metre) chain-link fence with barbed wire around its property.

After the city rejected the variance, deeming the fence too tall, the church appealed.

On Friday, city council’s appeal committee voted to relax some of the height restrictions and leave room for more potential changes in the future.

“I can understand the parishioners’ and the residents’ concern about safety and some of the vagrancy that’s happening and that does plague our city quite a bit. They’re wanting to deter some of that activity. So, finding a common middle ground (on the) type of fencing around their property should alleviate some of their concerns,” said Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas).

The appeal committee voted to allow the fence height to reach up to seven feet (2.13 metres) along its back yard (facing Magnus Avenue), up to nine feet (2.74 metres) for side yards and up to four feet (1.22 metres) at the front yard facing Burrows Avenue.

“I can understand the parishioners’ concern about safety and some of the vagrancy that’s happening. They’re wanting to deter some of that activity.”

Santos said the front fence height is especially important to match the context of the surrounding neighbourhood.

The use of barbed wire was ruled out following planners’ concerns the feature risked making the area look like “a war zone.”

The church is also required to submit plans showing the exact location, design and construction materials of the fence for consideration at a future Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan Community Committee meeting. Until a plan is approved, a permit for the construction won’t be issued.

The committee didn’t impose city planners’ call to require ornamental fencing over concerns that would make the fence too expensive.

“Once you tie it to ornamental… there are cost limitations to what they can do,” said Santos.

In the area, a city standard allows a fence height of up to four feet (1.22 metres) in the front yard and up to 6.5 feet (1.98 metres) in the back and side yards.

Meanwhile, the church also received an impromptu offer of help from a local planner who was attending the appeal meeting to address another project. John Wintrup offered to donate his time to help the church design a fence and find funding to build it.

“Aesthetically, we’ll try to fix something. I think the committee was concerned about giving a blanket approval of 10-foot fencing all over the place. We’re going to have some professionals come in and help them,” said Wintrup.

The planner believes the church could still push for a taller fence, noting it offers catechism classes and many schools in the area already have such barriers.

“I think (there is) a very simple solution here,” said Wintrup.

Santos said that offer of support could help the church and city come to a final fencing option.

“I think that was actually a really good news story,” she said.

The councillor said the church may also be able to build a taller fence if it is constructed further from its property line and closer to the building itself.

“We don’t like fortress-like buildings but … (with) the reality of our times, we are in desperate times, we need desperate measures.”

While several of the church’s representatives declined to speak after the decision, one parishioner said he considered it an initial step in the right direction.

“I’m satisfied that we actually got (up to) nine feet on the sides. That’s a good win for us and the seven feet on Magnus, which is good, because a lot of… the problems (have) come from the Magnus side,” said Richard Zendzian.

During the appeal hearing, several church members said the fence is a necessity after a long string of security threats related to trespassing. The issues included urine, feces, graffiti, broken windows and drug needles being left on the property. Fires and theft also took place, said Yolando Gamallo, the church’s pastor.

“We don’t like fortress-like buildings but … (with) the reality of our times, we are in desperate times, we need desperate measures,” he said.

The committee did not set a timeline for when the plan approval for the fence will be considered.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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