1445 Main (Extra Foods) - Removal of Parking Lot Lighting

A third of the parking lot lighting in the Extra Foods (the two lights closest to Inkster) have been removed and not replaced. Last year the acting/assistant store manager indicated that they weren't planning on replacing the lighting as vehicles don't park in that part of the lot. However this doesn't address the safety of pedestrians entering and exiting from the north side of the lot in the dark.

Nicole of Loblaws responded to enquiries of Loblaw's head office (1-866-999- 9890 or 905-459-2500) under reference No. 732-2337 early this year.

Lately one of the concrete pillars, which previously housed one of the lamp standards, has been encased in wooden crating, but plans to return the lot to the previous standard of lighting are currently unknown.

Autobin - Contractor Illegal Dumping - White truck

On Friday Mar 26th, 2010 at 6: 30 p.m. two heavy-set guys were illegally dumping a truck-load of renovation garbage (insulation, drywall 2 X 4s etc.) into the autobin behind 25 Inkster (and what didn't make it, was strewn on the ground).

Both were big guys and the helper had a dark complexion. The truck was an older model, white with the sides of its bed having been built up with wood to increase its capacity. When challenged they took off westward in the Inkster/Lansdowne lane, turning south at St. Cross. The vehicle's rear licence plate had been removed - they clearly knew what they were doing was illegal.

If these guys are dumping in your area, please get as much information as possible and provide it to the City at 311@winnipeg.ca or phone 311. Water and Waste has indicated that it will prosecute.

Contractors moving their garbage disposal problems onto autobin neighbourhoods is one of the factors in their annual household garbage being 1,600kgs (other City areas are between 850 and 1,000kgs.)

1445 Main (Extra Foods) Billboard - Variance Required

The variance permitting the billboard mid-way along the lot close to Main Street expired in 2005.

As of March 25, 2010 the City has advised that:

" conditional use approval from the Board of Adjustment is required for the sign to continue.

So, an application must be made, posters posted on the site and a public hearing must be held"

-------------------------
Here's the history:

1445 Main St (Extra Foods Lot) Variance DAV
On November 6, 2002 the City of Winnipeg Board of Adjustment (Bill Lyons, Chairperson
Pablo Herrera and Arlene Ratuski) against the advice of its Planning and Plan Use Division*, approved the installation of the billboard on the lot. See http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=1617&SectionId=&InitUrl=-

*Planning and Plan Use Divisions reasons against included:

Commercial district “CI.5” doesn’t list advertising signs as a permitted use.

Visual impact - sign will be clearly seen from living rooms of neighbouring homes

Over-saturation – billboards opposite (Cropo) and ½ block north (1480 Main)

Billboard size – will overpower the first party identification signage of surrounding neighbourhood

Safeway, Extra Foods and the funeral home will feel the need to increase the size of their first party identification signage to compete with the billboard, adding to the visual nuisance for the residential neighbours.

Item No. 20: Minute No. 542: Nature of the Application:

Application to vary the “C1.5” district regulations of Zoning By-law No. 6400/94 for a change of use for a period to be determined by the Board of Adjustment to permit the establishment of an advertising sign use. - Pattison Outdoor Group, c/o Lee Ann Partridge - 1445 Main Street DAV 922/2002C

Order of the Board:

That the application for a Zoning Variance be approved, subject to the following conditions:

1. That the total height of the subject sign shall be limited to 24 feet.

2. That the sign shall be located in the centre of the Main Street frontage on the subject property.

3. That a planter box shall be installed at the base of the sign.

4. That mobile signs shall be prohibited on the subject property.

5. That the Variance granted by the Order shall terminate on November 30, 2005.

See http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=1608&SectionId=&InitUrl=
"Planter box shall be installed at the base of the sign"
The November 6th, 2002 City of Winnipeg Board of Adjustment Minutes that
the installation of the sign on Extra Foods lot was subject to a planter being installed at the
base of the sign (Condition 3).

Curiosity A Love Story - In Stores Now

Joan Thomas, from Scotia Street's new book "Curiosity A Love Story" was reviewed in the Winnipeg Free Press March 27, 2010 and will be available in the bookstores on Tuesday March 30, 2010.

The review is at www.winnipegfreepress.com/entertainment/books/woman-of-wrong-class-shook-creationist-tree-89318637.html

ATM Skimming - Card Data & personal Identification numbers

DEBIT CARD FRAUD INVESTIGATION UPDATE - ARRESTS

Since the fall of 2009 the Winnipeg Police Service Commercial Crime Unit has been made aware of at least 38 incidents involving the tampering of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) resulting in payment card data and personal identification numbers being obtained from customers using the machines.

The bulk of these incidents of tampering occurred at stand-alone ATM’s. In each instance the suspects would approach the machine, cover the surveillance camera with paper, and place an overlay device over the card slot. This device would subsequently read and store the customer’s card data as the card was passed through the overlay and into the legitimate card slot. A pinhole camera placed above the keypad would then record the customers entering their personal identification numbers. In some instances the suspects wore various disguises to try to conceal their identity.

Once the data is captured it is then used by the suspects or their associates to withdraw money from the customers’ accounts or otherwise use their data to make fraudulent purchases. The data obtained from these incidents has resulted in excess of $200,000.00 in losses to various financial institutions. However the total potential exposure to loss based on the data stolen is in excess of $1 million.

The skimming of debit card data involves a number of steps from the manufacture of the overlay devices; the placement of the devices on ATM’s; the collection and retrieval of the data and overlays; the transfer of the data collected to a usable medium (i.e. plastic card with a magnetic stripe that can be read by an ATM or point of sale terminal); the distribution of that data or medium to others; the use of the data or medium illegally; to the disposition of the proceeds.

With the assistance of bank investigators the Commercial Crime Unit commenced a lengthy investigation to identify the makers/installers of these devices.

The investigation led to the execution of several search warrants and the arrest of a 30 year old male and 39 year old male, both of Winnipeg. They are facing the following charges:

Wear disguise with intent

Possess credit card data X 50

Use credit card data X 44

Possess instruments for forgery X 7

Possess proceeds of crime

The investigation has been ongoing by members of the Commercial Crime Unit. As a result, both males were re-arrested on March 4^th and are facing the following additional charges:

Use of credit card data x 20

Possess Identity documentation x 6

Proceeds of crime x 2

Possess cocaine x 2

They have been released on a Promise to Appear.

165 Aberdeen (Holy Fam. Nursing Home) Variance - Update Aug.18

 

Aug 18, Update:

Regarding 165 Aberdeen Ave., they have planted ivy and have submitted a landscaping plan that we approved which shows the locations of the ivy and the locations where 4 large flower pots were / will be located during the summer, at least until the ivy reaches the top of the fence.

In addition, at 5 PM today is a public hearing of the Board of Adjustment.  An application for erecting signs at 165 Aberdeen Ave. is on the agenda.  Below are the planner's report and other key info.  This info is also in the link http://winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=10442&SectionId=&InitUrl=.  Scroll down in the window in the link to Item 3 and click on that link.

The current situation with respect to the 6 foot high chain link fence which fronts onto Main Street is that the landscaping should have been provided "to mitigate the visual impact of the chain-link fence.", and as of March 2010 the matter is with the City's Zoning and Permits.

Here's the history, which followed from a December 13, 2007 enquiry of the City as to why a 6ft high chain link fence had been permitted on one of the City's main streets.

Minutes - Board of Adjustment - December 17, 2008
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Minute No. 238 Variance - 165 Aberdeen Avenue
(Mynarski Ward)
File DAV 127673/2008C
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT (Bill Evans, Chair, Mark Morgan & Ron Turner)
DECISION:
The Board of Adjustment did not concur in the recommendation of the Winnipeg Public Service and approved a Variance on “the land” for the maintenance and extension of a chain-link fence for an existing assisted living facility to permit a fence height in the required front yard of 6 feet (1.83 metres), subject to the following conditions:
1. That the chain-link fence shall not be expanded or modified from the existing state.
2. That no privacy tape shall be permitted on the chain-link fence.
3. That the final plans showing the location and details of landscaping, to mitigate
the visual impact of the chain-link fence, shall be submitted to the Director of
Planning, Property and Development for approval prior to the issuing of any
development or building permits; and the applicant shall maintain the landscaping
to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning, Property and Development.

Bannerman Fire - Graves-Hassbeek family Updated

For information on the Bannerman Family's needs go to: http://littlemommy.blog.ca/

April, 2010, A representative of the family has advised that no-one is soliciting donations door-to-door.

Here's the background:

8/3/2010: Early Saturday morning at 4am their house started on fire! They got out with just the clothes on their backs and nothing else!! They have lost everything!! Everyone got out, although Dean, the dad, had to have surgery on his hand as he tore his tendons smashing the windows to save his kids lives. Their 13 year old son, Jack, injured his foot jumping from the second story window.

They had no house insurance.

The 6 children plus a foster daughter are as follows
14 year old foster daughter
13 year old son
12 year old daughter
8 year old son
4 year old son
2 year old girl
and nearly one year old girl