Investing in Waverley West Ward

Feb 7, 2020

Thank you to the Sou’wester for providing space to update residents on important community issues. I look forward to seeing shovel’s on the ground for this recreation campus!

By: Janice Lukes — Waverley West Councillor Ward Report
Posted: 01/22/2020

Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid, Waverley MLA Jon Reyes and I had the great pleasure of serving pancakes at the South Winnipeg Community Centre’s Skate with Santa holiday party!

I’m very pleased that while Mr. Duguid, Mr. Reyes and I are from different levels of government and have different political leanings, we are absolutely united in working together on behalf of the residents of South Winnipeg!

South Winnipeg Community Centre (SWCC), both Waverley and Silverstone locations, offers residents of all ages in Waverley West opportunities to come together and engage in many different recreational opportunities, but the SWCC buildings are old, small and are not adequate to serve the needs and population of the rapidly growing neighbourhoods of south Winnipeg.

For the past four years, I’ve worked to secure funding for the purchase of land and development of plans for a new recreation facility in the Waverley West Ward. Delivering recreational opportunities is a core City responsibility, often supported by other levels of government. Through much advocacy work, the City has now allocated $26 million towards Phase 1 of a new recreational facility in the ward. This past fall, the City made a formal funding application through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, requesting $20 million from the Province and $24.5 million from the federal government towards construction of the recreation facility. The funding application is now awaiting commitments from the provincial and federal governments.

The recreation facility will be located beside the new high school and elementary school that the provincial government committed to building. Also, provincial legislation requires any new school to include a child care facility, either attached to the school or located on land owned by the school. Currently, there are over 1400 children on waiting lists at two local child care facilities so two more child care facilities (or a supercenter) can’t come soon enough!

It is a very rare opportunity to have a wide-open field to build such important facilities together, on one site. Some may say it’s even rarer to have three levels of government working together to accomplish this goal! I want to assure residents, Mr. Duguid, Mr. Reyes and I have all identified this campus of recreation, educational and child care facilities as our top local priority and that we will work together, with our respective colleagues, to optimize all possible synergies of being located on one site. I post detailed progress updates on my website about this project at jlukes@winnipeg.ca and encourage you to follow the development of this highly needed and anticipated campus.