New and renewed recreational projects in St. B

For many people, spring is seen as the season of renewal. It may not look like it outside but the seasons are soon changing, so I thought now would be a good time to mention some new and renewed recreational projects that the City of Winnipeg has invested in in the St. Boniface ward:

The baseball field backstops at Art McOuat Park in Windsor Park will be renewed at a cost of about $111,000. The previous backstops were recently removed as they have reached the end of their lifespan, but they are slated to be replaced as soon as possible. In the meantime, arrangements are being made for teams to find alternative spaces until the project is completed.

Winakwa Community Centre is continuing to develop a campus-like space for area residents with the additions in recent years of a community garden, an active transportation path/garden project with newly planted trees alongside College Beliveau, and use of the outdoor hockey rink as an off-leash dog area during the hockey off-season. We would like to thank Winnipeg Trails Association executive director Anders Swanson for his assistance in creating the active transportation path, and Windsor Park resident Corinne Delannoy for her championing of the garden project. In addition to these projects, about $151,000 has been allocated to build a new outdoor walking path for which plans are just beginning to take shape. There has also been an allocation toward the construction of a new spray pad. Thanks as well to the Winakwa Community Centre and the Louis Riel School Division for working together with our office on these projects.

With the Champlain Community Centre spray pad project already having been announced, that means there are now two spray-pad projects in the ward which aim to replace aging wading pool facilities.

In recent years some critical repairs were completed in order to keep Bonivital Pool open. In addition to this, the city also budgeted about $5.3 million toward extensive upgrades at the pool which are still to come.

Last but not least, the Island Lakes Residents Group has proposed a project for a picnic area with tables and a shelter, to which about $60,000 has recently been allocated. We would like to thank Lindsey Wilson and the Island Lakes Residents Group for their championing of this project.

Investing in these projects will ensure that families in the St. Boniface ward will have recreation facilities to use for decades to come.

Matt Allard
St. Boniface ward report

Matt Allard is the city councillor for St. Boniface.

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