Katz Commercializes Assiniboine Park
Jun 25, 2007
Mayor Sam Katz and Winnipeg City Council recently decided to turn over control of Assiniboine Park and the Zoo to a non-profit corporation. After months of consideration, City Hall has finally decided to turn over control of a public entity to a private entity because Council has determined that this group would be more able to fulful the daily requirements of operating the Park and Zoo. This independent, non-profit agency will apparently include representatives from various community groups in addition to the City and Province. But handing over such valued public assets would set a dangerous precedent, and too many questions have yet to be answered.
By turning over the day-to-day operation of the Park, Council hopes that this private group will be able to accomplish what Council itself never has been able to do – that being to properly maintain and modernize these assets.
The City has indicated that it will continue to support the Park and Zoo with annual operating grants, but the majority of the funding required will be left to the fundraising efforts of this new organization. The group will be expected to raise $125 million to repair the Park’s crumbling infrastructure and rebuild the Zoo and conservatory.
There has been discussion over the last few years around the building of condos in Assiniboine Park in order to generate revenue to help maintain it. It seems that this could be one way of initiating a process that would indeed lead to a situation where you have private residences being constructed in the Park.
One of the most troubling aspects of this transfer of a vital public asset is that Winnipeg City Council is abrogating a responsibility which is very clearly within it’s mandate. Councillors are elected to look after public parks and open spaces, and this function is one that should remain at City Hall. As Councillor Dan Vandal commented in a recent Winnipeg Free Press article, “This is an abdication of public responsibility.” One has to wonder if this is the first step in a broader plan to privatize other green spaces such as St. Vital Park and Kildonan Park.
Also disconcerting is that the status of the City of Winnipeg employees that currently work at the Park and Zoo is unclear. Will these workers now be employed by this independent organization, or will they have to take other jobs in their union? How is their collective agreement affected by the shift in ownership? It doesn’t seem that these issues have been sufficiently addressed by Mayor Katz or City Council prior to the decision being made.
Comments
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I wish someone would stand up to Katz....no one backed marianne cerilli last year.
Jimcotton - 2007-06-25 18:31
Sam Katz will be remembered as one of the worst Mayors this city has ever had. Sadly, though, there is no elected opposition at City Hall.
Kevin - 2007-06-26 15:30
When Mayor Katz and the rest of his pawn's at city hall, sell off all of our assets. Will we be able to finally eliminate them and there jobs. I dont see a reason for having a Mayor and City Council with no assets to manage.
Chuck - 2007-06-27 14:53
I happen to know a person who heads up one of the unions for civil employees and there is an offensive in the works. They are aware of the dictatorship at city hall and how it is affecting their members. I left the city in 2004 for the rural life but I still have an opinion. Mr. Katz needs to remember that he is the chief civil servant there to serve the people and guardian of the tax dollars they have entrusted to him. He needs to put his porfolio as a businessman aside start acting like a mayor.
Gwen - 2007-07-07 09:30