Transcona residents voice opposition to cement plant

More than 100 peoplegathered in Winnipeg'sTransconaneighbourhoodTuesday evening to express their opposition to a cement batch plant being proposed near a recreationaltrail.

The community meeting at the Oxford Heights Community Club was organized by residents who don't want the City of Winnipegto rezone a parcel of land near the Transcona Trail to allow the plant to be built there.

"I believe that there's lots of property elsewhere where they could build a plant," said Grant Reid, a lifelongresident of the area who attended Tuesday'smeeting.

The city wants to rezone lots on Valde Avenue, near Gunn Road and Day Street, as heavy manufacturing lots to make way for the proposed plant.

The site is along the Transcona Trailand is adjacent to the Transcona Community Bioreserve, a former industrial plant site that has been converted to a naturalized park.

Kim Poitras, who organized themeeting and started apetition against the cement plant, said not only would the plant change the look of the neighbourhood, but dust from the facility and increased traffic would pose a risk to residents.

"It's our community," she said. "It affects us. It doesn't affect those sitting in city hall."

Poitras said more than 700 people have signed her petition to date, and she hopes concerned residents will show up at a city hall hearing on Oct. 15.