Community news briefs for Feb. 1, 2023

Get ready for the great outdoors

It may be the depths of February, but many Manitobans — especially those who don’t snowmobile or go ice-fishing — are already thinking about enjoying the great outdoors this spring, summer and fall. To help them plan and prepare, the Manitoba Outdoors show is set to run on Feb. 3, 4 and 5 at Red River Exhibition Place.

The trade show will feature over 100 exhibitors showcasing a variety of products and services, as well as stage presentations from experts in a variety of fields. From fishing to hiking, archery to scuba diving, camping to cycling, hunting to kayaking and more, the show has something for every outdoor enthusiast.

Admission is just $8 if you buy tickets in advance, or $12 at the door. Kids under 18 are admitted free. For full details and ticket info, visit johnpeterevents.com

Celebrating landscape architecture

Heber Garcia is a resident of River East, an avid soccer player, and was once partly responsible for creating a bar made of ice. Why is this important? Because it’s Manitoba Landscape Architecture Month, and landscape architecture, among many things, is about people and the communities that connect them.

FPCR Weekly Video Update for Sept. 7, 2022

Free Press Community Review editor John Kendle chats with Simon Fuller, reporter for the East edition, about Centre Flavie's new home on Archibald Street in St. Boniface, as well as an upcoming mental health and wellness expo presented by Sara Riel, Inc.

https://youtu.be/ps49WDyH4FU

See you at the Veggie Van

Fireweed Food Co-op’s Veggie Van has been offering local fruits and veggies at subsidized prices this summer since July.

Super gardener

Mary Perera loves gardening and she is very good at it. Mary is recognized as a super gardener by her neighbours and friends.

Dancers walk above the rest

Photo by Simon Fuller

FPCR weekly video update for July 27, 2022

Simon Fuller of the Free Press Community Review’s East edition tells editor John Kendle how a shortage of lifeguards has affected Happyland Pool in St. Boniface, and about an e-waste recycling drop-off to be held July 28 at Glenwood Community Centre in St. Vital.

Kilcona Park’s Harbour View in need of major revamp

NORTH KILDONAN

TRANSCONA

Kilcona Park is one of Winnipeg’s four regional parks and Harbour View was its crown jewel.

But lately some residents have found Harbour View more of an eyesore than a point of pride.

Holiday spirit alive and well in July

ELMWOOD

A lot of folks in the Elmwood area are going to find themselves on Santa’s ‘nice’ list this holiday season.

Area residents and those who commute along Nairn Avenue have likely noticed a friendly Santa — known as ‘Santa on Nairn’ greeting passersby with a smile and seasonal attire. On July 3, vandals knocked St. Nick off his stand at 641 Nairn Ave. and smashed him to pieces.

“He was dressed in Canada Day garb and Canada flags and all that,” said Richard Holm, who curates Santa on Nairn’s attire with his wife, Nicole. “He was irreparable.”

West End, Corydon host concert series

WEST END

CORYDON

Summertime in west Winnipeg is sizzling with a lineup of free outdoor musical performances.

The West End BIZ and Corydon Avenue BIZ are each hosting public concert series featuring genres for all sensibilities.

Acomi opens a second location in Fort Rouge

FORT ROUGE

African Communities of Manitoba Inc., a non-profit group that provides resources and programs to individuals of all ages, recently launched its second hub at a new, central location.

On July 10, Acomi welcomed the public to 301 Nassau St. N. to view the modern, tech-forward facility.

“In the past 10 years, our population and community has grown, so we needed a bigger space,” said Chuks Ojidoh, the director of community programs for Acomi. “We also needed to be more accessible to people who live in different areas of the city.”

Dream team welcomes local apparel company onboard

ST. JAMES-ASSINIBOIA

A gym and barbershop in Silver Heights has found the final puzzle piece in its goal of being a one-stop shop where clients can leave feeling and looking their best.

Dream Bootcamp and Dream Barbers, which operate under one roof at 2179 Portage Ave., recently welcomed The Collab Shop to the team.

The Collab Shop’s co-owners Robert Berboso, 27, and Rodney Francisco, 39, look forward to bringing their limited-edition, local, and vintage apparel to a wider audience.

Free Press Community Review weekly video update for July 20, 2022

Katlyn Streilein, community journalist for the Free Press Community Review’s West edition, tells editor John Kendle about a new location in Fort Rouge for the African Communities of Manitoba (Acomi), and she also tells the story of Sydney Nachtigall, a West St. Paul soccer player who will be on Team Manitoba at the upcoming Canada Summer Games in August in Ontario’s Niagara Region.

Eyes on crime

BY CODY SELLAR

STAFF REPORTER

POINT DOUGLAS

A longtime community leader wants the city and its citizens to shift its approach to crime prevention.

Local upgrades continue in our community

As your city councillor, I have recognized and heard our community’s need for more free recreational family activities.

I was so excited to finally announce on July 4 that we will be having a new free outdoor spray pad in Adsum Park at the Maples Community Centre. After initiating and working with the community centre executive and city departments, we were able to access provincial and federal funding to go along with the city money I had already secured for our area.

It took many months of planning and meetings for this to come together, resulting in a new 3,000-square-foot, accessible spray pad. It will include new walkways, benches, picnic tables, bike racks, shade structures, and upgraded landscaping. This will be a destination point for families when it is hot and, by keeping it free, the spray pad will be accessible to all in this well-used recreation hub in our community.

Another project approved on July 5 was my motion for new traffic control signals at the north intersection of Templeton Avenue and McPhillips Street. This signal is necessary because of growth in traffic volumes on Templeton, which have greatly increased in recent years in part due to housing growth in the area, increased commercial activity, the new transit route, and the new École Templeton School.

Ground broken for new pickleball courts

It won’t be long before the sound of pickleballers rallying will echo through North Kildonan.

On July 14, ground was broken on a project to revitalize Jill Officer Park (1410 Rothesay St.), turning the four tennis courts in place into two tennis courts and two pickleball courts. Funding for the $230,000 project comes from the 2022 community and neighbourhood parks capital fund.

“I am proud to have secured funding for new and upgraded amenities at Jill Officer Park in recent years,” Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said in a statement.

“The new pickleball courts and upgraded tennis courts are an important addition to this well-used community hub that includes a splash pad, play structure, River East Arena, Peguis Trail Health & Fitness Centre, and a paved running oval that is also currently being upgraded.”

Honouring disability rights activist Jim Derksen

Jim Derksen was a Wolseley resident, disability rights activist, and friend to many. He died earlier this month at the age of 75. Jim was a well-known member of our community. I’ve heard from many people about his influence on their lives and it is clear he will be sorely missed. I offer my sincere condolences to Jim’s family and friends.

Jim began using a wheelchair at the age of six, owing to complications from polio. Several years later, he spoke up when he was being mistreated in the hospital. Jim’s self-advocacy was effective, and the mistreatment stopped. This marked the beginning of his lifetime of disability rights activism. Jim would go on to become a founding member of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. He also chaired the Winnipeg Taxicab Board in the 1980s and brought in wheelchair-accessible taxis. Jim was instrumental in enshrining disability rights in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

When I sat down to learn from Jim a few years ago he didn’t just want inclusion, he insisted on the recognition of disability as something good and to be valued as part of the natural diversity of human life. Jim reminded me often that there is still much work to do surrounding human rights and supports for disabled people. Earlier this year, a woman living in Toronto made headlines when she found that it was easier to access Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) than it was to receive the supports and housing she needed. This is unacceptable. No one should have to turn to MAID due to poverty or a lack of supports. Jim was a strong advocate on this issue.

Here in Manitoba, the PC government must do much more to support people living with disabilities. Urgent investments need to be made to ensure that disabled Manitobans have access to appropriate supports and affordable housing. The province should also work with organizations such as Barrier Free Manitoba and Abilities Manitoba to improve accessibility in public spaces and to solve the support-worker labour crisis.