Rural Roundup for June 14, 2023

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/06/2023 (1024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RUSSELL

Russell’s Green Infrastructure Partners have begun laying the groundwork for the community’s new Twin Valley Co-op under general contractor TL Penner of Virden.

When complete, the building will be 19,150 square feet and able to expand 30 feet to the east, Twin Valley Co-op General Manager Dwayne Moncur.

“That would allow us about 3,800 extra square feet if we ever chose to expand,” Moncur said.

The yet-to-be-built grocery store has generated quite a bit of excitement in the area, Moncur said.

“I’ve had people ask why we bought so much property, but we are talking about future development. We’ve got a million ideas, and as time goes on we’ll see which of them may stick and come to fruition.”

Depending upon factors such as weather and the supply chain, Moncur says he and his board of directors expect the walls of the building will go up this fall.

“There could be a bit of a delay with refrigeration equipment,” he said. “There’s a lot of variables to this.”

If all the pieces — including the weather and the availability of key components — fall into place, the new Twin Valley Food Store could open as early as next April or May. The manager of the food store has already been hired, and 34 more employees will be hired.

>> The Russell Banner

BIRTLE

Assiniboine Community College is bringing its rural rotating Comprehensive Health Care Aide program to Birtle Collegiate in Birtle, to Reston, and to Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Brandon.

The certificate program will begin in all three sites on Sept. 11. Each site has a capacity of 22 students.

Mark Frison, the college’s president, said the institution is pleased to work with the communities, schools and Prairie Mountain Health to deliver the program to students who may benefit from access to training that is close to home.

“The demand for skilled health care aides is high. We know this program will be able to help support this need in the province while providing terrific career pathways for individuals to pursue,” Frison said.

Health care aide programming teaches graduates practical skills to care for patients, how to communicate in a clinical setting and how to help patients manage their health and well-being.

>> The Russell Banner

CYPRESS RIVER

The north side of the curling rink in Cypress River has received major upgrades courtesy of an area contractor.

Curt Cabernel Construction is handling the demolition and replacement of the facility’s north wall, which has fallen into disrepair in recent years, Cypress River Rink Board President Brennan Richmond said.

“We knew we had to do something, we just didn’t know there was quite as much rot as there was,” Richmond said.

Water damage contributed to leaks and mould developing in the structure, which provides the north enclosure of the curling area.

“There was water pouring down from a tarp put up there originally,” Richmond said.

The board hopes to hold at least two bonspiels next winter, with the possibility for more curling activities as the season processes.

>> The Gazette

SPRUCE WOODS

Spruce Woods Provincial Park has a new senior park interpreter. Paige Savard, who holds a degree in environmental sciences and previously worked as a park interpreter at the Tombstone Territorial Park in the Yukon, has stepped into the role.

Although Savard said she loved it up north, she was ready for a change. On a whim, she decided to apply for the open position at Spruce Woods Park, describing it as her dream job. Though she didn’t think she’d get an interview, she said she was pleasantly surprised she got the job.

Savard said she has been overwhelmed with the kindness that has been extended to her.

>> The Gazette

NINETTE

Dale Dalgleish, a businessman from Ninette, is drawing on his knowledge and resources to give area fishing enthusiasts plenty of opportunity for enjoyment on Pelican Lake.

Dalgleish owns and operates Icehol Fishing Adventures, which he started last fall, and says he wants to turn it into a go-to attraction for fishing.

“I want to target seasoned anglers as well as people who have never fished before. This summer I have boats to rent out and guiding services for that, too,” Dalgleish said.

He has three 16-foot boats, each with a 25-horsepower outboard motor, for rental. Anyone can rent the boats, but guides are available to those who need help or are heading out on the lake for the first time.

During the winter months, Dalgleish has daytime fishing shacks to rent, and has expanded his service to include “ice castles” for entertaining customers. The structures are trailers towed behind a pickup truck onto the ice, providing a warm and comfortable cabin for ice fishing.

“An ice castle sits down on the ice, and you can drill holes in the ice through an opening in the floor,” Dalgleish said. “It is fully equipped and even has a 50-inch television.”

The ice castles are heated by a propane furnace and include bathrooms. At the present time, ice castles are offered for people who want to go out fishing for the day, but Dalgleish plans to offer overnight stays next winter.

Dalgleish also recently purchased an ice fishing machine called a SnoBear — a vehicle that allows him to take up to three people onto the ice for day trips. The SnoBear can drill a hole into the ice, where fish can be spotted within 85 feet. A camera provides images to a computer to allow fishers to see their lures in the water and the fish that are approaching them.

Bookings can be made by calling 204-724-0371, or by visiting iceholefishing.ca.

>> The Gazette

BALDUR

The Baldur Memorial Hall’s kitchen has been given new life with a much-needed renovation.

The go-to meeting place for Baldur and the surrounding communities, the hall’s kitchen had needed replacing for some time. After fundraising and successful grant applications, the project was completed in May.

The kitchen area was completely reconfigured, bringing it up to current health and building codes and making it more user-friendly. Commercial wear-resistant flooring, new white kitchen cabinets, stainless steel sinks, racking, counter tops, island and range hood are among the upgrades. The walls of the kitchen have also been painted.

The final cost of the project is equal to $61,367, which was covered by in-kind donations from craftspeople, community donations and successful grant applications submitted by the community’s recreation director Colleen Vanwynsberghe. Grants were received from the Thomas Sills Foundation, the Building Sustainable Communities Program and the Baldur Endowment Fund.

The hall is now available to rent. For information, contact 204-535-2527, or email rec@rmofargyle.ca.

>> The Gazette

While the province has announced new daycare spaces for the Baldur Early Learning Centre, a new building to be used to provide those spaces won’t arrive this year, says daycare president Jaime Godard.

“We won’t be getting that building until the fall of 2024. With all the planning the town has had to do and all the paperwork that has to be done, we won’t be moving anywhere until next year,” she said.

The provincial plan allocated 40 new openings to the Baldur area. Once in operation, Godard said many of those spaces could be filled by expanding the program that is now in place.

“We are looking into doing nursery school and school aged [children]. That will help bring the numbers up,” Godard said.

Currently, the Baldur Early Learning Centre provides daycare for infants between two months and two years old, and preschool children between two and six years old. Once children finish Kindergarten, they are considered school age. The daycare currently serves 12 children, which is the current limit for the facility.

Godard said there probably won’t be extra spaces available this year, noting the waiting list is growing.

>> The Gazette

NEEPAWA

Sunrise Credit Union’s 2023 Our Manitoba photo contest winner is Jodi Baker of Neepawa.

A panel of Sunrise staff selected Baker’s photo, “Sunflower Sunset,” as one of 30 finalists from around 250 entries for this year’s contest. The week-long public vote on the 30 finalists took place on ourmanitoba.org, and Baker’s photo earned enough votes to be declared the winner.

Baker captured the winning photo south of Neepawa in mid-August of last year.

“I had planned to go out and get some sunflower photos, but the stunning sunset took me by surprise. Winning this contest is a great honour — there were so many amazing photos,” she said.

Baker entered the Our Manitoba photo contest for the first time this year, after hearing about it on social media and with encouragement from family and friends.

As a finalist, Baker received a canvas print of her photograph, which will be featured in Sunrise Credit Union’s 2024 calendar. Baker also won the grand prize of a $500, one-year term deposit from the credit union.

>> The Gazette