‘Concerning’ community club hasn’t opened books: councillor

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This article was published 06/06/2024 (730 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg community centre has not committed to opening its books more than a month after the city councillor for the area asked its board to consider an independent audit.

A letter from Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River) sent April 24 requests the South Winnipeg Community Centre board consider an audit of its Silverstone Avenue arena among “growing whispers and rumblings regarding potential irregularities in financial disclosure to the board and possible human resource issues leading to operational inefficiencies and resulting in multiple union grievances.”

The community centre responded by putting its general manager, Paramjit Shahi, on administrative leave, accusing him of failing to report “significant operational concerns” to the board before he resigned May 13.

Masroor Khan, the president of community centre’s volunteer-based board, said the committee has not decided on an independent audit, but conversations are ongoing.

“Everything, all options are under review,” he said. “We’re engaging with all stakeholders in this regard, and we’ll just do whatever is the most appropriate thing to do.”

The South Winnipeg Community Centre is required to go through a yearly financial review through its accountability requirements to receive municipal funding, but an independent audit would be a more in-depth probe of possible financial mismanagement and human-resource issues.

Chambers said it was “concerning” the community centre had yet to make a decision.

“At the end of the day, it’s about accountability, but this is their decision to make,” he said, noting he’s been in contact with the community club.

The community centre’s board published a letter on social media Monday, saying it was working to “bring about positive changes and enhance your experience at SWCC,” and had brought in a professional recruitment firm to replace Shahi.

One staff member said a financial review isn’t enough because of what he called “deep-rooted” mismanagement of funds.

Harwinder Singh was hired in July 2023 as an arena attendant after coming to Winnipeg from India. He chose a community centre as his first job while studying human resources at Robertson College because it felt like a safe place to learn to integrate into the community.

Singh said he has since been forced to accept “clerical errors” that resulted in more than $500 in lost wages, and said he worked Christmas Day without stat pay before he complained.

He said he and other young newcomers working at the centre were treated unfairly compared to other staff, and he has filed multiple union grievances ranging from pay discrepancies to cases of bullying on the job.

“I strongly believe (the club) should be (fully) audited with the intervention of funding agencies, rather then just a financial review,” said Singh. “Also, the investigation should be independent from the SWCC administration and board.”

The South Winnipeg Community Centre will host an open house June 13.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca