Recreation Update

Young Luke, his dad and friends were having a great time dunking balls at the very busy basketball court in Bhagat Singh Park recently! That basketball court must be one of the busiest in the City!

I’ve received many requests for new and upgraded recreational facilities in our neighbourhoods.  As you may know, I worked with MP Terry Duguid and MLA Jon Reyes to secure $90 M for a new recreation campus which will be constructed in the new development of Bison Run, beside the new elementary and high schools.

This new recreation campus will include an indoor running track, basketball, volleyball, badminton and pickleball courts and hopefully a skateboard park. There will be meeting rooms, a yoga room and more. A large spray pad will be constructed outdoors, along with sports fields and park space. Public consultations on this new facility will begin shortly, and its anticipated to open mid 2025.

• This is great news, BUT – residents also want and need recreation facilities in their nearby neighbourhood parks.

I’ve continued working on recreational opportunities with MP Terry Duguid, MLA Jon Reyes, and also South Winnipeg Community Centre President Paramjit Shahi, the community centre board and the City’s parks and recreation department. Together we identified area needs, locations and projected costs.

I am very pleased to share with you that I was able to secure over $1 million in funding from all partners to proceed in designing and developing many new facilities!

Design work is now underway for the following:

• a volleyball court in Blue Lake Park, a junior cricket field at Chancellor Park, upgrades to the Bonnycastle pathway and walking bridge,
• a basketball court in Eaglewood Park, a basketball court in Bridgwater Forest Park, tennis courts in Bhagat Singh Park, a cricket field in Bridge Lake Park,
• funding towards a new playstructure at Ecole South Pointe School, more benches and more trees in Scurfield Park, Lindenridge Park, Jinnah Park, Kirkbridge Park, Scurfield Park, Bridgwater Centre and Glengarry Park!

We are very fortunate to have good partners in our Federal and Provincial representatives, and a strong working relationship with the South Winnipeg Community Centre board. Residents have been outstanding in sending in requests (keep them coming), and the City’s parks and recreation department staff have been very helpful in site planning logistics.

• Over the coming months, I will be posting additional details on each project, and extending invitations to join in the sod turnings to celebrate with the community and partners!

I think Luke, will be very happy as he will have so many places to burn off all that energy!