Province funds arts, sports projects

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This article was published 01/08/2023 (1009 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The province has invested $4.4 million in Westman through its Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund, which will help finance 43 projects that aim to build stronger municipalities.

This money is going toward providing building upgrades, event funding and brand new facilities, according to a Monday morning news release from the Manitoba government.

While this year’s ACSC funding is being spread to 534 projects province-wide, Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen highlighted the money that is being set aside for Brandon and its surrounding area during an afternoon press conference at the Riverbank Discovery Centre.

Cullen’s team selected this location not just because of its scenic backdrop, but because Brandon Riverbank Inc. received the second-highest amount of money ($520,000) this year to help finance its “Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Gardens” initiative.

Following Monday’s press conference, Brandon Riverbank executive director Dean Hammond explained that Sawatzky is a world-renowned, Manitoba-born bronze sculpture artist, whose work already decorates the grounds in select locations.

However, this new provincial funding will bankroll the construction of up to 16 new pieces that will be placed along the Riverbank’s main building all the way to the corner of 18th Street and Kirkcaldy Drive.

“Some have already been made. Some are being cast,” Hammond said.

“These are all wildlife pieces, and the intent with the landscaping is that they’ll be presenting in their natural habitat.”

With this funding in place, Hammond hopes that work on Sawatzky’s sculpture garden could begin in the fall, with a few pieces being officially put in place by the spring of 2024.

“This will definitely be a game changer for both Riverbank and the Westman area,” he said. “We’re anticipating, at full build-out, we could be attracting visitors not just from Canada, but the world.”

The City of Brandon received the biggest piece of the pie from Monday’s funding announcement, securing $2.5 million to help finish construction of its new outdoor field sports complex.

This complex, located at the corner of First Street and Veterans Way, will consist of nine individual sports fields, a FIFA-sized soccer field, cricket pitches, a clubhouse and space for ultimate Frisbee when completed.

During a ground-breaking ceremony that took place May 18, city officials mentioned that they were still waiting for some additional funding from the province to ensure phase 3 of the project could be completed.

Now that that money has finally come through, Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett was in a jubilant mood during Monday’s press conference, stating that the region’s families and youth will immensely benefit from such a robust sports facility being within reach.

“It is something we’re really, really grateful for, because it does make our communities better,” the mayor said.

Elsewhere in the city, groups like Hockey Brandon ($111,464) and the Provincial Exhibition ($25,000) received money to enhance its programming and carve out new event space, respectively.

Outside of Brandon, Monday’s funding announcement also encompassed a significant number of small capital projects and special initiatives in nearly a dozen rural communities.

This includes setting aside enough money to upgrade the Reston District Library ($25,000) and replace the Neepawa Theatre Centre’s carpet ($12,373).

Down in Sandy Lake, $50,000 is being set aside to restore the community’s historic roller rink, which was built in the 1960s but has remained largely unused for roughly four decades now.

However, Sandy Lake resident Dennis Yanchycki has been attempting to restore the rink back to its former glory and told the Sun that this recent funding from the province will ensure that this facility isn’t lost to time.

“It’s starting to crack and grass is starting to grow in and it won’t take long before it disintegrates, so the timing of this [funding] is perfect,” Yanchycki said following Monday’s press conference.

With this new funding, Yanchycki and his team are planning to turn the roller rink into a multi-use recreation facility that will be a vital community resource for residents looking for a cheap way to have fun and stay fit.

“We’re trying to set it up so that it’s free to use for everyone,” he said. “So … if they don’t have the right equipment, whether it’s roller skates or a pickle ball paddle or a basketball, then they can still come here and use the facility.”

The province launched its Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund last year with the goal of committing $100 million to a total of 942 projects across Manitoba, including here in Westman.

“The Westman community is bursting with culture, art and sports, and these investments continue to build more vibrant spaces that are accessible and have a lasting impact,” Cullen stated in Monday’s news release.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com