Keeping Royalwood greener

Royalwood

Lachlan Reid, an 18-year-old Royalwood resident, spent the summer of 2025 as our community’s first Urban Green Team member.

“I was looking for a job. My mom saw a posting on Facebook so I put in my resume because I love the outdoors,” Reid said. “I’ve always been active. I played basketball and volleyball for my high school team, plus baseball and football, but hadn’t held a full-time position before.”

Reid said his Green Team duties were varied and kept him busy.

“I did some weeding and graffiti removal, plus picking up garbage along streets and parks. I was surprised at how much trash there was,” he said. “Whatever I was doing, people stopped to thank me. My mom was proud.”

Glen Cottick, president of the Royalwood Neighbourhood Association, applied for the Urban Green Team provincial grant to support Reid’s role. Cottick reports that more than 100 bags of garbage were removed from our area as a result of Reid’s efforts.

“We had requested the funding in the past, but this was the first year that we were successful,” Cottick said. “Tyler Blashko, our MLA, and his office were great to work with. They made suggestions that helped us secure the grant,” Cottick said.

“We had several candidates. We chose Lachlan because he is a Royalwood resident who could benefit from the experience. I received multiple comments on the difference that he made.”

According to the Province of Manitoba’s website, the Urban Green Team grant program supports summer employment for students and youth aged 15 to 29 years. Participating employers offer opportunities that improve neighbourhoods, promote community involvement and help develop young leaders.

Reid’s most memorable moment was while working in the Bois-des-Esprits.

“I got close to a family of deer on the path, they didn’t move. I wondered why they weren’t afraid of me. It was cool,” he said.

Now an engineering student at the University of Manitoba, Reid encourages other Royalwood youth to apply for an Urban Green Team position should it be available next year.

“If you like being outside and want guaranteed full-time hours with a lunch break so you can go home, then watch for the posting in the spring.”

The job left a lasting impression on him.

“Now if I go for a walk, I notice the garbage,” he said. “Instead of passing by, I think about if I don’t pick it up, then who will? It’s a matter of caring about your community.”