Leaving a legacy on the street

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This article was published 21/06/2016 (3655 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Imagine receiving mail at an address that bears a street in your name.

That probably won’t happen to Karen Irvine, but that’s only because she and her husband aren’t planning on moving anytime soon.

Karen Irvine, the longest-serving volunteer at Dakota Community Centre, has had a street named after her in River Park South. The street sign for Crescent Karen Irvine Crescent was formally unveiled at a recent ceremony that commemorated the community involvement and volunteer activity of Irvine, who has been a key organizer in the community for decades.  

“It’s a humbling experience to have something like that named after you,” Irvine said.

“It focuses on all my work in the community. My energy, I think, comes from my successes and about always looking to the next thing and how you can do it in the best way you can.”

In a professional capacity, Irvine is the resource co-ordinator for the Boni-Vital Council for Seniors and the program facilitator for the Dakota 55+ Lazers program, which serves the community’s older adult population, which she started.

In terms of her volunteerism, she is a key organizer at the United Church in Meadowood, is currently the co-president of the St. Vital Agricultural Society and is a founding member and past president of the parent advisory council at her son’s former school (George McDowell School).

Irvine was a founding member of the centre before it opened its doors in 1987, and she has been involved with the centre in some capacity ever since. She has served a term as the centre’s president, and has also been a driving behind the centre’s November craft sale, which is in its 29th year and will be held on Nov. 5 and 6 this year.

“To give you an idea of how things have changed, that first craft sale was held in four hockey dressing rooms when each room had so many tables,” Irvine said.

“I guess we had about 12 to 15 tables in those first years, and now we have more than 80 vendors on two floors of the centre.”

Karen Irvine Crescent is located between Aldgate Road and the Perimeter highway. In a twist of fate which sees history repeating itself, Irvine said it’s the last street that will be built in River Park South.

“When we first moved to Winnipeg 34 years ago, we moved to Mansfield Crescent, which had been the last street built in the area up to that point,” she said.

So is there a chance Irvine would ever move to the street that bears her name?

“It would have neat 20 years ago, but now we’re considering downsizing, I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Irvine said, noting her son who lives out of town wants a lot on the street.

“But rest assured, I’ll be keeping a good eye on the street.”

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com

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