Winnipeg | Osborne Village & Fort Rouge | Developments & Discussions

[Wpg_Guy]

[ColdRain&Snow]

^Very nice. Glad they're staying in the neighbourhood.

[Wpg_Guy]

843 Dorchester Avenue
Location: 843 Dorchester Avenue
Neighbourhood: Mcmillan Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry Ward (City Centre Community Committee)
Developers:
Architect: Articulated Design Union
Status: In development
Documents: Rezoning & Variance – September 4, 2026
Media:
Description: A modest corner lot in Winnipeg’s McMillan neighbourhood, now occupied by a 1950s single-family house, is slated for redevelopment into a three-storey, nine-unit apartment building. The 6,022-square-foot site at Dorchester Avenue and Wentworth Street would be rezoned from single-family to medium-density multi-family use, allowing the existing home to be demolished and replaced by a 31-foot-tall structure clad in grey stucco, black metal and red brick. Five regular parking spaces plus one car-share stall would be reached from the rear lane, with a few bicycle spots tucked under a rear alcove and new trees and shrubs added for landscaping. Because the proposal exceeds several current rules on setbacks, density and parking, it also needs a series of variances before it can proceed. Neighbours include single-family homes to the south and east, two- and three-unit dwellings to the west, and vacant land already zoned for larger multi-family buildings to the north.
Permits:

[Wpg_Guy]

Stafford Studios
Location: 923 Dorchester Ave
Neighbourhood: Crescentwood Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry Ward (City Centre Community Committee)
Developers: Stafford Studios
Architect: Amphora Architecture Inc.
Status: In development
Documents: Rezoning & Variance – September 4, 2026
Media:
Description: A century-old house on a 6,039-square-foot corner lot at Dorchester Avenue and Stafford Street in Winnipeg’s Crescentwood neighbourhood would be kept but converted into offices and a personal-service business, with a modest 31-by-8-foot addition tacked on. The land would be rezoned from medium-density single-family residential to neighbourhood commercial to allow the change. Five parking spaces, including one accessible stall, would sit off the paved back lane, with bicycle parking nearby; most of the existing trees would stay, and new shrubs and planter boxes would be added along Stafford Street. The project also needs variances for landscaping and parking buffers. Nearby uses already mix commercial buildings on two sides with houses and a small triplex on the others.
Permits:

[Jeff]

the atrociously green quickie mart on river ave. got torched and likely fully destroyed this time. hopefully this doesn't mark a resurgence of the extortion racket again.. we still got piles of rubble left from that initial round.

[Wpg_Guy]

Such a shame, 292 River Ave

[WinCitySparky]

Who needs the Quickie Mart?

[Kris22]

That’s too bad. It was a funky building and added some character to that end of River ave

[trueviking]

—.

[Wpg_Guy]

sierracafeloungewpg

[Wpg_Guy]

Neighbours relieved after fire strikes Quickie Mart
Morgan Modjeski
Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2026


RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS

“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal and it looks worse than it actually is. It’s not that bad,” said Dan Riel, who identified himself as the building’s owner.

As Janina McNaughton watched the Quickie Mart on River Avenue go up in flames on Tuesday, she felt relieved.

“The first thing I see is flames, like a fireball of flames inside,” McNaughton said about watching the blaze from her bedroom across the street.

On Wednesday, the bright green building, at 292 River Ave., was boarded up and charred on the outside.

Crews from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded at 8:13 p.m. Tuesday to battle the blaze, said the city in a news release. It was under control within the hour.

McNaughton, who is the manager at a nearby apartment building, has lived in the area for 40 years, including at her current place since 2008,

She said in the last several years, the store changed from a family-owned five-and-dime, to a 24/7 business where the traffic was constant and “very suspicious.”

McNaughton said she and others tried to raise their concerns with the owner of the business, but he wasn’t receptive. They had complained about noise, problematic patrons, and when delivery drivers parked on the boulevard.

“I didn’t feel comfortable going to that store,” she said.

She reported suspicious behaviour at the store to police, including heavy overnight traffic and drug use outside the building, but it continued.

She said she wants the building demolished so something else will take its place.

“I am happy. A lot of the residents are happy,” she said, adding one told her: “We’ve got our neighbourhood back.”

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

On Wednesday afternoon, Dan Riel, who identified himself as the building’s owner, was on site speaking to a person securing the store. He said he suspects the cause was an electrical issue.

“It’s an old building,” Riel said. “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal and it looks worse than it actually is. It’s not that bad.”

He said it’s too early to comment on damages or the cause of the fire.

“This is the wrong time to talk,” he said. “We just got here.”

He said the building operates a night window as a security precaution because Fort Rouge Park, which is across the street, has drug users who might break in to the store.

“Night time is super slow,” Riel said. “We just keep a night window open, but mainly it’s just for security. If you don’t do it, people will break into the building. I’d rather not be open at night — I hate it.”

Riel didn’t answer followup phone calls and text messages about alleged problems at the site.

While some residents are pleased the business is boarded, others lamented its loss.

Deanne McConnell, who sometimes picks up litter on River Avenue, including outside the shop in exchange for the occasional discount or extra item, called the fire and closure of the store “a shame.”

“It’s part of the community,” she said. “Lots of people rely on it for a lot amenities,” McConnell said.

She said she saw photos of the fire, which showed the middle of the shop engulfed in flames.

“It looks like it spread from the bottom to the top,” she said, saying she too relied on the shop.

She said she worries the fire may be suspicious in nature.

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” she said. “There’s been a lot of arson around the city lately.”

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service did not provide a damage estimate.

Winnipeg Free Press

[Kris22]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

sierracafeloungewpg

Love the colourful sign. It’s too bad Sotto Braccio has no sign and just tiny barely readable vinyl letters on the windows. It’s hard to tell there’s even a restaurant in there. Or where the entrance even is. Basically zero street presence.

This other place having a patio with trees and a fun sign already is more appealing and it isn’t even open yet.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Kris22

Love the colourful sign. It’s too bad Sotto Braccio has no sign and just tiny barely readable vinyl letters on the windows. It’s hard to tell there’s even a restaurant in there. Or where the entrance even is. Basically zero street presence.

This other place having a patio with trees and a fun sign already is more appealing and it isn’t even open yet.

The patio looks massive.

[reallycoolguy]

Yeah no kidding. Are they entitled to take up 90% of the sidewalk there?

[neutroniks]

When they first started installing the patio, I expected them to only go up to the tree, but it's pretty huge now that they expanded it right out to the curb. Maybe it's a shared patio space with Sottobraccio?

[Wpg_Guy]

History of pedestrian injuries prompts Osborne Street safety review
Joyanne Pursaga
Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026


AARON EPP / FREE PRESS

More than 100 people gathered at the intersection of Roslyn Road and Osborne Street last November to remember Rosalie Tennison and promote safe roadways.

Traffic experts will put Osborne Street safety under the microscope to find ways to make the busy route safer for pedestrians.

The short-term study will take place “over the next year” with the aid of a consultant, to identify “low-cost improvements that can be installed quickly,” wrote David Patman, the city’s manager of transportation planning, in a new report.

Coun. Sherri Rollins, who represents the area and has long called for safety improvements on Osborne, said the study is long overdue.

“(This street is) … known for the absolute worst-case scenario, deaths and injuries from pedestrians … There have been calls for action for years,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry).

There’s been a high number of injuries due to collisions at three of the route’s intersections. Patman’s report noted 18 pedestrians were injured at Confusion Corner (which technically includes three signalized intersections) between 2014 and 2023, the highest number at any Winnipeg intersection. Osborne Street and River Avenue had the third most injuries during that time period, with 13, while Osborne Street and Morley Avenue tied for the sixth most, with 10.

Rollins said that data highlights why she began calling for a safety study years ago, which she said was rejected earlier due to concerns the changes could delay drivers.

In November, 67-year-old Rosalie Tennison died after she was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street in Osborne Village. Rollins said the tragedy was one reason she repeated her call for the safety study.

“This (study) is bittersweet because it comes after so much advocacy and it comes, tragically, after Rosalie Tennison died, something that I really sought to prevent,” she said.

The staff report notes the route is in high demand for several modes of traffic.

“Osborne Street is a busy road with heavy vehicle traffic. It passes through an active neighbourhood where many people walk to many destinations. This combination creates safety challenges for pedestrians,” wrote Patman.

A request to interview Patman, or another city transportation expert, was not granted Thursday.

The report notes the study will focus on Osborne between Broadway and the St. Vital Bridge and propose changes that can be added “without significantly impacting the current function of Osborne Street.”

“I’m hoping for a pedestrian-prioritized pilot that gets us results fast that can save lives,” said Rollins.

Osborne is a four-lane mostly undivided road with a 50 km/h speed limit, including 12 signalized intersections, three pedestrian corridors, a rail underpass and a bridge crossing over the Assiniboine River.

“Osborne Street is currently serving multiple, competing functions … It exists in a dense, pedestrian-oriented development area that is close to rapid transit, which is at odds with the high flow of motor vehicles that travel daily along the corridor,” wrote Patman.

A local cycling advocate said there is “certainly” room for improvement on Osborne, calling it a “critical” travel route and destination.

“The pedestrian crossings are an issue … Some of the turning speeds are too high. Confusion Corner, which they identify here, certainly is problematic,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg.

Cohoe said some Osborne intersections could benefit from extended concrete barriers that reduce the radius offered to drivers to make turns, a change that could help slow them down.

“Speed does two things. It’s obviously more force if you are hit … (And), if you’re (driving) a slower speed, you have more time to put focus onto the crossings and where pedestrians or people on a bike are,” said Cohoe.

He said he has “mixed” views on the study, since it appears limited to low-cost, quick remedies.

“I think it’s a good step forward. Certainly, they are taking some actions but … there do seem to be some limitations in there as to what they’re going to allow that consultant to come back with,” said Cohoe.

The study will analyze all collisions that caused injuries or deaths in the area in recent years, while reviewing key pedestrian crossings, signal timing, lighting and the speed limit.

Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, said that effort is warranted.

“If we’ve got the top-3 collision (injury) intersections (there), we should be studying it and working on it … I’m always open to anything they can do to improve pedestrian safety,” said Lukes (Waverley West).

Lukes said population growth is ramping up pressure on the already uniquely dense route.

“There’s no other area that’s got a higher population density and a chokepoint and (the) Confusion Corner intersection. It is a unique area without a doubt,” she said.

Winnipeg Free Press

[pspeid]

I wonder when most of those collisions have taken place? Are they spread out over a 24 hour period, or are they mainly at night? I would think visibility issues may be part of the problem, but we can ignore the fact that there are a number of dining/drinking establishments in the area. Some pedestrians simply don't bother checking for traffic when crossing streets, especially after an evening of "relaxing".

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

843 Dorchester Avenue
Location: 843 Dorchester Avenue
Neighbourhood: Mcmillan Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry Ward (City Centre Community Committee)
Developers:
Architect: Articulated Design Union
Status: In development
Documents: Rezoning & Variance – September 4, 2026
Media:
Description: A modest corner lot in Winnipeg’s McMillan neighbourhood, now occupied by a 1950s single-family house, is slated for redevelopment into a three-storey, nine-unit apartment building. The 6,022-square-foot site at Dorchester Avenue and Wentworth Street would be rezoned from single-family to medium-density multi-family use, allowing the existing home to be demolished and replaced by a 31-foot-tall structure clad in grey stucco, black metal and red brick. Five regular parking spaces plus one car-share stall would be reached from the rear lane, with a few bicycle spots tucked under a rear alcove and new trees and shrubs added for landscaping. Because the proposal exceeds several current rules on setbacks, density and parking, it also needs a series of variances before it can proceed. Neighbours include single-family homes to the south and east, two- and three-unit dwellings to the west, and vacant land already zoned for larger multi-family buildings to the north.
Permits:

Approved by Community Committee, development moves to PP&D.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

I like it. Tasteful density.

[zalf]

Originally Posted by pspeid

I wonder when most of those collisions have taken place? Are they spread out over a 24 hour period, or are they mainly at night? I would think visibility issues may be part of the problem, but we can ignore the fact that there are a number of dining/drinking establishments in the area. Some pedestrians simply don't bother checking for traffic when crossing streets, especially after an evening of "relaxing".

I have been hit twice by cars walking in the inner city (once downtown and once Osborne). Fortunately both were slow enough to only bruise. Lots of other near misses too. In both cases, I had the right of way (walk signal and a four-way stop, respectively) and was stone sober in the middle of the day. Both were cars turning one way and looking the other for traffic. There's a general assumption that the pedestrian was drunk or distracted or otherwise deserved it. I don't know why the onus isn't on the one operating the heavy machinery.