Tories say rest stop slated to close unsafe, target for vandals

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The Pinegrove rest stop on the Trans-Canada Highway in eastern Manitoba is unsafe because it’s a target for vandals and has dangerous debris such as needles, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said Wednesday.

Schuler said he stands by his plans, which became public Tuesday, to close the only public toilets between Winnipeg and the Ontario border in the fall.

He reminded reporters that it will cost at least $1.6 million to repair the sewage lagoon at the rest stop, which has eight toilets in separate heated washrooms on both the eastbound and westbound lanes west of Hadashville.

“We are a little concerned about the safety at night. There are no cameras,” Schuler said.

He could not cite any unsafe incidents.

“We’re a little concerned with maintenence issues. We’re spending a lot of time repairing the facilities,” Schuler said.

He said people stuff toilet paper down the toilets. “We’re picking up needles and,” he said, and appeared about to continue his sentence before stopping, then saying, “This is a family show.”

The food truck which parks at Pinegrove pays $3,000 a year to operate there, but it costs $11,000 for the province to pick up its refuse, he said.

In the legislature, NDP Leader Wab Kinew told Schuler that Pinegrove is important to the province’s tourism industry.

“How can the only public rest stop east of Winnipeg be out of order?” Kinew asked.

Then Kinew told Schuler he was quoting former Tory backbencher Jack Reimer, who demanded 13 years ago that the NDP government scrap plans to close Pinegrove.

Schuler retorted that the former NDP government in its final years closed 10 public highway rest stops and turned two others over to municipal control.

The minister again argued that there are restaurants and gas bars along the highway that most travellers prefer, including 20 kilometres either side of Pinegrove.

On Tuesday, Schuler said he is aware some highway retailers will not allow use of their washrooms without a purchase and explained there’s nothing the province can do about that.

If Pinegrove goes, the province can’t tell retailers to allow use of their washrooms without buying something, he said.

“We can’t tell them they must do that. That is their business — they have the right to put up a sign,” Schuler said.

Schuler said Wednesday that only Pinegrove is scheduled to close.

The rest stop on Highway 75 at the border near Emerson “is not on the radar right now.”

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca