Butterfly reserve proposed for Winnipeg rapid transit extension

If Coun. John Orlikowhas his way, a new retention pond in Winnipeg's Parker neighbourhood will be ringed by a butterfly reserve.

The River Heights-Fort Garry councillor has asked city staff to explore the idea of creating a walking trail and monarch reserve around new drainage being installed along the second phase of the Southwest Transitway.

City council's property committee voted Tuesday to endorse a motion fromOrlikow to look into the feasibility of the butterfly preserve, which would encompass patches of milkweed the city has already been ordered to plant to replace the wildflowers that will be lost when a new retention pond is created.

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A provincial environmental review of the retention pond led the department formerly known as Manitoba Conservation to instruct the city to"relocate and/or replace milkweed plants found within the development that are to be impacted by construction, to suitable areas and at a suitable time for the protection of monarch butterfly larvae."

Orlikow said if the city must build a retention pond, it may as well be done in a manner that the public can appreciate.

"When Manitoba Conservation came through, they said at minimum, you have to replacethe milkweed," Orlikow said Tuesday.

"That's fine, but let's maybe expand that a bit. I also want awalking trail around there. Idon't want a water prison, whichmeans very steep walls,with (a)chain-linkfence around it. It has to be more naturalized. It has to incorporate nature."

City staff have been asked to report back about the reserve and walking trail, with an eye to connecting both to the city's network of bike-and-pedestrian trails.

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