About 200 people packed a room at the Canadian Mennonite University Wednesday night to examine the future of the Kapyong Barracks – the site of a planned urban reserve in Winnipeg.

The federal government and Treaty One First Nations from Manitoba are currently hammering out a deal over the parcel of land located near Kenaston Boulevard.

The university invited Long Plain First Nation Chief Dennis Meeches, Harry Finnigan, a former head of planning at the City of Winnipeg and Andrew Holtman with the Tuxedo Community Association to speak on a panel about possibilities for the site.

Panellists answered questions from audience members and also heard input from the community about Kapyong.

"In the case of Long Plain, we have a very small footprint there – under three acres … In three to four years, I think we will be maxed out there for development. Here at Kapyong, it represents 10 to 20 years of development," Meeches told the audience.

Meeches told the crowd he felt confident the two parties are getting closer to coming to an agreement, and he's hopeful the deal will move more quickly now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been sworn in in Ottawa.

He has said the urban reserve development will not interfere with proposals to widen Kenaston. He said chiefs will work with the city to develop the area.

"Our priority would be Kenaston, because the city, that's their top priority, and people who live within that region that's their top priority," he said.

Business owner Katherine Devine went to the meeting Wednesday night and said she's extremely interested in the ongoing negotiations surrounding the parcel of land.

"I believe it's a Winnipeg issue as well as a Canadian citizen issue," she said. "As a Canadian citizen, it's my duty and obligation and responsibility to understand what's happening."

She said the planned urban reserve is a long-time coming and represents a real economic development issue for indigenous people.

"I think it's so impressive and honourable for the chiefs to be here tonight and to consult with us, even though our government does not consult with them," she said. "It's as big a deal as the MTS Centre and something we can all be proud of."

"I think we have before us in Winnipeg … a real opportunity to make something pretty special happen," Finnegan said. "I can tell you in my years of planning, change is not easy for people."