Lighting up our community

Point Douglas

On Thursday, Dec. 11, Selkirk Avenue shone.

From 4 to 6 p.m., neighbours of all ages stepped out into the winter evening for Lighting Up the Avenue – a North End tradition that has been bringing people together for more than 15 years. This year, our community did what it always does best – we opened our doors, shared what we had, and made sure everyone felt welcome.

Lighting Up the Avenue isn’t just one event in one building. It’s a walking celebration – six welcoming stops hosted by local organizations along Selkirk Avenue. Families moved from place to place, crafting, sharing food, laughing, and reconnecting. It’s also an invitation to light up Selkirk Avenue itself – from homes to storefronts – helping our neighbourhood feel safer, warmer, and brighter through the darkest days of winter.

This year’s celebration was co-ordinated by Indigenous Vision for the North End, working alongside trusted community spaces across Point Douglas to create free, welcoming places to gather and to connect people with supports that last well beyond one evening. Partners included the North End Women’s Centre and Mount Carmel Clinic, North End Community Renewal Corporation, Urban Circle Training Centre, Merchants Corner and the Community Education Development Association, Tunngasugit Resource Centre, the Indigenous Family Centre, and the Mama Bear Clan.

At the North End Women’s Centre, kids and caregivers lined up for free photos with the Grinch, popcorn, and cookie decorating. Down the street, NECRC welcomed neighbours in for gingerbread house making and hot chocolate. Urban Circle Training Centre kept the spirit going with crafts, more warm drinks, and a chance to snap a photo with Santa. At Merchants Corner, CEDA and partners created a cozy midway stop with tea, treats, and holiday bingo – a place to slow down, warm up, and connect.

We were especially proud to welcome two new stops this year. Tunngasugit Resource Centre invited families to build mini igloos while learning more about supports for Winnipeg’s Urban Inuit community. The Indigenous Family Centre hosted picture-frame making alongside a warm meal of soup and bannock, in partnership with the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre. And throughout the evening, the Mama Bear Clan walked Selkirk from Aikins to McKenzie, handing out treat bags and offering a steady, compassionate presence to help keep our neighbourhood safe.

As MLA for Point Douglas, I was deeply moved by what occurred – neighbours caring for neighbours, organizations working shoulder to shoulder, and children laughing and playing freely. To every volunteer, staff member, elder, youth, and family who made this night possible: miigwech. Point Douglas is resilient, generous, and full of light – and on Dec. 11, we showed that once again.