Enbridge helping community projects

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This article was published 29/05/2018 (2754 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pumping more than a quarter-million dollars of investment into Westman, Enbridge is striving to support communities that follow the Line 3 oil pipeline replacement project’s path across the Prairie provinces.

Provincewide, the company is pledging a total of $769,000 toward community projects this year. These funds will go toward various community causes, with a special focus on those that are inclusive in nature.

Among those to receive funds is Brandon Riverbank Inc., which is poised to get $30,000 toward a $1.8-million riverfront community centre.

With construction ongoing, general manager Lois MacDonald said that Festival Park would open by the end of the summer, and will include a permanent, covered stage as well as an amphitheatre with terraced seating for up to 3,000 people.

It’s the first phase of a much larger follow-through of the Back to the River master plan, with MacDonald citing this initial step as the best means of bringing the entire community into the effort’s fold.

“We wanted to start with a project that everyone in our community and everyone in our region could enjoy, and certainly the performance venue, the stage and amphitheatre, the picnic shelters and the park amenities that will be included in this project will be available for everyone’s use and enjoyment for many years to come,” MacDonald said.

Grateful for Enbridge’s contribution, she said they’re currently at approximately 60 per cent of their $1.8-million total goal, with a City of Brandon loan of $1 million allowing them to get rolling on the project prior to meeting this final goal.

The development of a community splash park in Virden is another major undertaking Enbridge is aiding, putting $25,000 toward the project, which is estimated to cost at least $500,000.

This bumps the effort’s fundraising total to $88,000, Virden Spray Park Club president Whitney Wright said, adding that the project is being led by a handful of local parents keen on keeping their children active.

“There’s not a lot of affordable recreational in our area, and we’d like to boost our local economy rather than drive to Brandon all the time,” she said, adding that like any other public park, the facility would be free of charge to anyone interested in making use of it.

While admitting that her goal might be a bit optimistic, Wright said she’d like to see the project break ground as early as next year.

Either way, she said, “We’ll keep on trucking until we build it.”

Other Westman projects included in this week’s funding announcement include:

• New tables and chairs for a hall in Baldur ($10,000);

• Replacing the aging turnout gear for the local fire department in Cypress River ($10,000);

• The development of a community picnic area and community hall upgrades, ball diamond, washroom and canteen project in Glenboro ($25,000);

• Rink repairs in the RM of Pipestone ($25,000);

• Community hall kitchen and arena renovations in the RM of Sifton ($30,000);

• Victoria Park campground expansion in Souris, including the development of 20 fully serviced campsites ($50,000);

• Arena and community space redevelopment in Somerset ($20,000)

• New tables and chairs for a community hall in St. Alphonse ($10,000)

• Upgrades to community buildings and support for a technical rescue unit in the Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa ($25,000).

An Enbridge spokesperson noted that this week’s funding announcement is in keeping with ongoing support from the energy company, which has pledged approximately $191,950 into Brandon alone since 1999.

Past pledges include funds for Brandon University bursaries and initiatives like the Dakota language program, as well as efforts targeted to support Sioux Valley High School.

» tclarke@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB