'You could have something that would be the splendour of Canada': Plans to redevelop Alexander Docks underway

An artist's rendering of what the Alexander Docks could look like in a few years time. (Source: Exchange District 2022 Plan)

The Alexander Docks could finally be getting a facelift after years of sitting defunct, and local residents are hoping the rejuvenation could bring change to the whole neighbourhood.

Located on Waterfront Drive in South Point Douglas, the docks have been shut down since 2015, closed to the public after the dock structure was deemed unsafe. Since then, safety fencing has gone up and come down - it's currently down – and the space has been used as a gravel parking lot for city vehicles. Most recently a homeless camp popped up on the riverbank next to the docks.

Now, the City of Winnipeg is looking at a submission from the Exchange District BIZ that proposes the redevelopment of the area.

"The Alexander Docks provides the potential to reconnect the community to the river, provide additional outdoor amenities to the growing residential population in the East Exchange, and fill a void in the open space network connecting the Exchange," states the Exchange District Plan 2022.

CTV News Winnipeg has reached out to the Exchange District BIZ for comment but has not heard back.

The plan includes re-building the docks with public amenities such as benches, paths and shelters, and calls for the creation of a memorial site for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The Alexander Docks is where the body of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine was discovered in 2014.

The site has become important to Winnipeg's Indigenous community, with many vigils taking place there over the years. Point Douglas City Councillor Vivian Santos agrees that there should be a permanent memorial at the docks.

"It has to remain a public space, and it has to include reconciliation efforts as well," said Santos.

She says the fate of the docks has been in question for a while.

"Someone wanted to do something with this land, and we weren’t sure what," said Santos, "Did the city want to sell it and then have development there … there was a lot of push back from the community within the Point Douglas ward saying 'no, it needs to remain a public space.'"

Jordan Van Sewell is with the South Point Douglas Residents' Association, and has been living in the neighbourhood for 35 years. He says it's an important part of the city that has been neglected for too long.

"I mean, we're talking about the cradle of Winnipeg literally that distributed goods all the way up to Norway House … it's incredible, right? And the fact that it is falling into decay for all these years," said Van Sewell.

He says there have been grassroots efforts to clean up the docks, but all have failed.

"Nobody has any hard plans to show vision," he said, "and yet the Alexander Docks … could really be the benchmark in what the riverbank could look like. And if you compounded it with federal money to tie in the river all the way up to the Point Douglas proper, you'd have one of the most enviable waterfronts in North America, you know?"

Sewell says there have been discussions about making the green space at the point of Point Douglas into a national urban park, which makes developing the Alexander Docks even more important.

"It's a national waterway, it should be historically protected. When you think of the archival pictures of what used to go on there and what could be put together. You know, under the guise of a national urban park, you could have something that would be the splendour of Canada," said Sewell.

Santos says consultations on the docks are already underway.

"My understanding is the consultations are actually starting right now, now that we have $600,000 secured and approved at council, so that's going to be the initial first step."

She says the design work should be completed next year, and the actual redevelopment will begin in 2024.

"We can't stop there, we need a secondary plan for South Point Douglas," said Santos, "and that's going to help spur more development. We can't just stop in one little area here, we must continue on."