The summer of reconnection

River Heights

What an incredible summer it’s already been in River Heights. With beautiful weather and so many opportunities to gather, reconnect, and talk about the future of our neighbourhood, this season has already reminded me how strong, caring, and engaged our community truly is.

For me, summer always begins in one of the very best ways — with graduation ceremonies at our local schools. These moments remind us just how bright the future is. As a former theatre teacher, graduation season carries special meaning for me. I know how emotional it is to watch students you have cared about, and learned from, head off to new adventures. I’ve often said that graduation is both the happiest and the saddest day of the school year. More than anything, it’s deeply moving to see the genuine affection and gratitude shared between students and teachers, and to be reminded how much they shape one another along the way.

Early summer is also picnic and barbecue season, and I’ve been lucky to take part in many of them. These events don’t happen by accident — dedicated volunteers spend weeks planning, organizing, and showing up for their neighbours. Whether it’s the energy on Academy Road, the free concerts presented by the Corydon BIZ, the Corydon Community Centre barbecue, or school picnics and fairs, each event creates space for people to come together and celebrate what makes River Heights such a special place to call home. They’re also powerful reminders that community is built through participation, generosity, and shared effort.

There may be no better example of Winnipeg at its summer best than Folklorama. Since 1970, the festival has given us a unique chance to experience the rich cultural diversity of our city through food, music, dance, and conversation. What stays with me most, however, is the spirit of connection that runs through it all — the conversations with pavilion organizers and festival-goers, and the shared sense that we are strongest when we continue building a community that is closer, kinder, safer, and more welcoming. Community isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we build, one conversation, one shared experience at a time.

Above all, the most meaningful part of this summer has been my ongoing ‘neighbourhood tour,’ which has brought me to doorsteps across River Heights in recent weeks. I often say democracy is not a spectator sport, and these conversations reinforce exactly why that matters. Residents are engaged, thoughtful, and deeply invested in the future of this community. I’ve heard valuable insights about health care, the environment, affordability, and education — not only the challenges we face, but the possibilities ahead. I’m grateful to everyone who has taken the time to speak with me. Every conversation has reminded me that the strength of River Heights lies not only in its traditions, but in the people who continue to shape its future together. It is a privilege to serve a community that cares so deeply and participates so actively.