Kelsey James

St. Norbert Farmers’ Market announces new director

ST. NORBERT-SEINE RIVER

The St. Norbert Farmers’ Market has selected its new executive director.

Danielle Mondor, 40, will lead the market into its 34th summer season, the organization announced on July 9. Mondor will be following in the footsteps of Marilyn Firth, who spent 14 years overseeing the market’s weekly operations until she announced she would be leaving the position in a July 6 Facebook post.

“I’ve very familiar with the deep and diverse history of the market, and that’s what attracted me to wanting to become executive director,” said Mondor, who was offered the job at the end of June and started a few weeks ago. “I’m working with a great team to continue the same services, supports and promotion for the market under direction of the board.”

Mobile overdose prevention RV to hit streets

BY KELSEY JAMES

STAFF REPORTER

CENTENNIAL

A Winnipeg resource centre will be hitting the streets this summer in a new mobile overdose prevention site.

‘Master plan’ outlined for Osborne Village

BY KELSEY JAMES

STAFF REPORTER

OSBORNE VILLAGE

Osborne Village is in the process of getting a facelift thanks to a three-tiered “master plan.”

Dream playhouse donated to Fort Richmond children’s centre

A dream playhouse valued at $13,000 has been donated to Epiphany Children’s Centre (200 Dalhousie Dr.).

Realty Executives First Choice partnered with Verne Reiner Architects, Cornerstone Kitchens and Lowe’s and Rona to design and build the playhouse, which was raffled off on June 11 in support of local children’s charity The Dream Factory.

The playhouse, which was featured at the Manitoba Home and Garden Show and The Dream Factory’s annual auction, was purchased by a doctor in the community and donated to Epiphany Children’s Centre. The structure was transported from Lowe’s and reconstructed at its new home on July 6. |

Canada’s largest inflatable theme park opens

BY KELSEY JAMES

STAFF REPORTER

BROOKLANDS

Canada’s largest outdoor inflatable bounce park will tower over King Edward Street until the end of September.

Sanford hockey player named athlete of the year

SANFORD

A Sanford Collegiate multi-sport athlete has been named the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Seventeen-year-old Gwen Bestland was kept in the dark about winning the award by friends, family and coaches. Two days after graduating, Bestland thought she was headed into Winnipeg for lunch with her parents when they surprised her with a detour to the 2022 MHSAA athlete of the year ceremony at Sport Manitoba.

Surrounded by other high school athletes from across the province, Bestland was joined by her hockey coach and two teammates before learning she was a nominee for the AAA girls category.

Community group receives funding to plant new trees

RIVERVIEW

LORD ROBERTS

After a map outlining Riverview’s diseased trees was released two years ago, neighbours Wendy Botkin and May Wady knew they had to take action.

Last summer, Botkin, Wady and the newly founded Trees Riverview committee co-ordinated the planting of 55 disease-resistant trees on the boulevards of Arnold Avenue and Baltimore Road to revitalize the neighbourhood’s beloved urban canopy.

On a bicycle made for fun

OSBORNE VILLAGE

EXCHANGE DISTRICT

A people-powered pub on wheels will be making its way through Osborne Village and the Exchange District this summer.

Pedal Pub started welcoming guests to its 15-person party bike on June 4. The travelling pub crawl experience takes pedallers to microbreweries and restaurants, and has been drawing a crowd of Winnipeggers eager to celebrate birthdays, bachelorette parties or corporate events, said general manager Randi Davreux.

Annual bike parade returns to Wolseley streets

The Wolseley + West Broadway Bike Parade returned to the streets on the morning of June 12. The parade, now in its third year, chose the theme Every Day is Earth Day for this year’s festivities.

The parade started on Raglan Road before making its way down Wolseley Avenue to Mulvey School, where riders gathered in the playground. There was a raffle for children, a DJ and dancing.

The annual event is hosted by the Wolseley Residents’ Assocation, which works to improve the community and informs residents of changes, issues and events. |

Finding a buddy

WAVERLEY HEIGHTS

When the bench is empty everyone has a friend. If it’s full, there’s still work to be done.

On June 20, Chancellor School (1520 Chancellor Dr.) unveiled its new buddy bench, or friendship bench, as part of the Winnipeg Police Association’s Cool 2Be Kind Campaign. The bench, brightly coloured in shades of blue, purple and green, was chosen to reflect the school’s colours.

The idea is simple: when a child feels lonely, they can sit on the buddy bench. This signals to other kids they are feeling isolated, and the hope is another child will invite them to play.

Norwest Co-op Community Health Centre marks anniversary

INKSTER INDUSTRIAL PARK

A northwest Winnipeg health centre is celebrating its 50-year anniversary.

“Fifty years ago, our community came together. There were no supports in the neighbourhood so the community started our co-op,” said Norwest Co-op Community Health Centre executive director Nancy Heinrichs, adding the organization began with primary care services and a daycare. “It’s really community-driven and we’re the only health co-op in Manitoba.”

Norwest has about 160 staff and offers a range of services, including primary health care and a counselling unit with family and youth supports. They also have community development services in Manitoba Housing and were the first organization in Winnipeg to create a “huddle hub” where youth could connect with services and resources in one easy-access location.

Square dancing the night away

ST. JAMES-ASSINIBOIA

The definition of square dancing is friendship set to music. Or at least that’s what St. James square dancing club the Whirlaway Westerners believe it is.

Linden Woods resident Carole Grier started square dancing in 1986 after attending a provincial convention in Winnipeg. Shortly after, her and her husband joined a beginners’ club.

“The costumes caught my eye. I just loved it,” Grier said. “As soon as the music started and the people started dancing they smiled, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s for me.’”

An inspiration to all

KELSEY JAMES

STAFF REPORTER

ST. JAMES-ASSINIBOIA

When five-year-old Spencer Gamey grows up he wants to be himself. So far, he’s doing a good job at demonstrating the importance of that goal.

North End block party returns

The North End’s largest block party returned for the first time in three years on June 16.

Residents gathered on Aberdeen Avenue, between Salter and Powers Street, to celebrate the hope and resiliency of their community with games, face painting, a dunk tank, a petting zoo, bouncy castles, snack carts, a barbecue and entertainment from local musicians.

The annual block party is organized by Inner City Youth Alive, a local non-profit serving children in the North End who experience poverty, abuse and neglect. The organization expected more than 900 people would attend the celebration at press time. |

Board game lovers strike big for local charity

WEST END

ST. VITAL

Two Winnipeg YouTube stars have raised over $16,000 for local mental health services in their first 24-hour livestream.

Cousins Dylann Bobei and Carlo Sobral started their YouTube channel, All You Can Board, in late 2020 when they were faced with more free time owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indigenous creators selected for prestigious filmmaking program

ST. JAMES

CHARLESWOOD

Nine Indigenous creators have been selected for the annual CBC New Indigenous Voices program, and this year’s roster includes two west Winnipeg students.

St. James resident Clay Mykietowich, 21, has always been creative and artistic, so pursuing a degree in theatre and film design from the University of Winnipeg in the design stream was a natural fit.

ReLeaf for Winnipeg’s urban canopy

CHARLESWOOD

WAVERLEY WEST

Winnipeg neighbourhoods will be getting a little greener this summer thanks to the ReLeaf tree planting program.

Every spring and fall, Trees Winnipeg offers subsidized tree packages to private property owners in the hopes of diversifying the city’s urban canopy.

Jr. Bisons boys club volleyball team wins national title

FORT GARRY

A combination of brains and brawn helped the Jr. Bisons boys U18 club volleyball team win the title at the 2022 Volleyball Canada national youth championships.

The Jr. Bisons went undefeated 9-0 and only dropped two sets at the national competition, which was held May 18 to 24 at Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton, Alta.

“We played our best game every single game, and we set our goals high and achieved them together as a team. It was a pretty cool feeling,” said Jr. Bisons libero player Thomas Kiesman, 17, who was also named the MVP of the tournament. “It felt even better because there’s been so much delay. We finally got what we’ve been working toward for three years.”

A community’s cornerstone

ST. NORBERT

Judy Williams can still recall waiting in front of the St. Norbert monastery while her father went inside to purchase cheese from the monks. She wasn’t allowed to go in with him — there were rules prohibiting women from entering the site, except on Sunday for mass — but it was a walk she enjoyed joining.

For 85 years, the St. Norbert monastery was home to more than 50 Trappist monks. The land, located near the junction of the Red and La Salle rivers, was formerly a busy centre for hunting, fishing and Indigenous trades. The site evolved by the 1820s into a French-speaking Métis settlement.

“We know we were and are a Métis village, and a lot of that heritage was not passed onto us as residents of St. Norbert,” Williams said, noting its history wasn’t part of her education when she was a child. “Saving the monastery grounds and making it a provincial park was a very important thing for our neighbourhood.”

Local teachers win prestigious teaching excellence awards

WESTWOOD

WOLSELEY

Two Winnipeg teachers have been awarded the 2021 Governor General’s history award for excellence in teaching.

“I focus a lot on issues concerning oppression, the rise of authoritarian states, deconstructing ideologies and disseminating messages in digital media,” said Westwood Collegiate social studies and history teacher Kelly Hiebert. “We also look a lot at issues regarding human rights abuses in Canada, like residential schools.”

New pet store is for the dogs – and local animal rescues

ST. JAMES-ASSINIBOIA

The possibilities are endless for a new St. James business owner.

Chelsea Fitch, 25, opened the doors of pet store Endless Pawsibilities (1695 Sargent Ave.) on April 1. Her approach is a little different than other pet stores you may be familiar with, though. While Fitch carries the same products as larger chain operations such as Pet Valu, PetSmart and Petland, her goal is to also support animal rescues in Winnipeg and the surrounding areas.

Each month, Fitch partners with an animal rescue and plans two fundraising events. She sometimes has adoptable animals in-store and often hosts bake sales and sells other locally made goods, such as jewelry, candles or honey, with proceeds going to the rescues. She also sells Scentsy, Mary Kay and Pampered Chef products, so her commission from those sales also goes to the rescue.

Prison book drive and bake sale returns to West End

WEST END

A popular annual West End book drive is returning this month after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Manitoba Library Association’s Prison Libraries Committee and Bar None Winnipeg will hold their fifth annual book and bake sale on Sat., June 11 at the Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex (999 Sargent Ave.) from noon to 4:30 p.m.

West End resident Jacquie Nicholson, 38, has been organizing the event for the past five years, which raised over $3,000 in 2019.