New fountain a true team effort

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/09/2019 (2382 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Our community is full of people who love living in River Heights-Fort Garry.

Their pride never ceases to amaze me — especially those who go out of their way to make investments that will continue to benefit generations to come.

One of those people is Ray Reider and Reider Insurance.

The longtime resident has always loved and enjoyed Wellington Crescent and its pathway that connects to the beautiful Assiniboine Park. As a runner who uses the route regularly, he saw the need for an additional water fountain at intersection of the crescent and Guelph Street.

With existing fountains at Renfew Street and then once you get to the park, near the duck pond, there was an accessibility gap for fresh water.

Ray brought that seed of an idea to my office a few years ago and we have been working together ever since to make it a reality.

Growing up in River Heights, I’ve always known how much we love being active and how much we appreciate the space and amenities to enjoy the outdoors.

Since I’ve represented you at City Hall, I’ve been dedicated to investing in our shared greenspaces, tree canopy and the supporting infrastructure to make sure everyone can continue to enjoy everything outdoorsy our ward has to offer.

And I’m proud to say last week we unveiled a brand-new fountain at Wellington Crescent and Guelph Street, sponsored by Ray’s family business, Reider Insurance, and the City of Winnipeg.

With this new addition, fresh water will now be available approximately every 2.5 miles if you were running from Osborne Village all the way to Charleswood. And not just for humans. The fountain has a special pet-friendly spout to allow our furry friends a refreshing drink on their walks and runs as well.

With the number of organized walks and runs that use Wellington Crescent as part of their routes, the water bottle filling station will be a great feature for event participants and everyday users alike.

I’m so grateful to Ray, his family and Reider Insurance for being such wonderful community leaders and choosing to invest in their hard-earned money in a project that will benefit all Winnipeggers — and their pets — for years to come.

Do you have an idea that you’d like to see happen in your neighbourhood? Tell me about it! Send me an email at jorlikow@winnipeg.ca or call my office at 204-986-5236 to share how you would think we can work together to make our ward a better place.