Steinbach City Council has resolved to change the designation of some city-owned land along Bush Farm Road. Deputy Mayor Jac Siemens says the change will involve 33 acres including the Steinbach Soccer Park and the bush area to the west of it.(pictured above) He explains, "Under the Official Community Plan it's designated Agricultural land right now and I'd like to rezone it to Parks. I think that only stands to reason." The resolution received unanimous approval.

Siemens says city council has also approved a second resolution to declare that area a Public Preserve. "This then forces council to go to a public hearing in case they ever want to sell it. I think that just ties the hands of council a little bit. It also involves the public in the process and I think that's key when you're considering a piece of property that has a lot of heritage in our community. It's the last piece of original bush in Steinbach." Councillors John Fehr and Susan Penner both opposed the change to a Public Preserve but it still passed by a vote of 5-2. Fehr and Penner did not give reasons for their opposition.

Meanwhile, Siemens says when the city sold a piece of the bush farm property to Southland Church last year for its expansion project, city council stipulated that the $280,000.00 be used for pathways and other amenities in a new park in that treed area. He adds the park will be developed in the coming years.