Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Troyanda is keeping its dancers’ feet in step as they continue to train and practice.
On Feb. 26, the local dance group based in Selkirk hosted a Zoom event dubbed Feel Good Friday.
The event enabled dancers not only to connect virtual, but also to get in a dance workout.
Full feature coming soon.
It seems like it could be an episode in the Twilight Zone.
It was not that long ago that two-time Canadian woman’s curling champion Chelsea Carey found herself without a team, then not knowing if there would even be a curling season due to the pandemic. Fast forward to February when Carey was asked to replace Tracy Fleury as the skip on her East St. Paul Curling Club after Fleury decided to stay home to look after her baby daughter, Nina (who had some health issues) at the 2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary.
Fleury had earned a berth in the Scotties as Wild Card1 based on her CTRS points.
Not only did Carey take the reins of a brand-new team, she skipped the squad to a 5-3 record, which wound up clinching a spot in the championship round after the smoked cleared following Thursday night’s draw.
So, does Carey feel like she’s living a dream, going from no chance to curl in competitive women’s play to a winning record at the Scotties so far?
“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s a dream because it is in a bubble,” Carey said from Calgary on Thursday afternoon. “But I’m pretty excited to be here.”
Yes, the bubble. Like the NHL playoffs that were played in Edmonton, a bubble to address Covid-19 concerns was set up to allow curlers to compete in the Scotties, Brier, Mixed Doubles, men’s worlds and two Grand Slam events in Calgary. Players must mask up off the ice, isolate in their hotel rooms between draws, get tested for Covid constantly and curl with no fans in the stands. No handshakes are allowed.
“It’s been bizarre,” Carey said. “I can’t go for walks or even got get a coffee from a Starbucks, which is next to the hotel. It’s pretty restrictive but I understand it and they’ve done a really good job with no negative tests.
“But I just eat, sleep and curl whenever I’m at a Scotties anyways.”
Third Selena Njegovan, second Liz Fyfe and Kristin MacCuish have helped Carey win five games of the preliminary round without the more familiar Fleury at the helm.
“We came here with Chelsea as a new player so, things were gonna take awhile to click,” Njegovan told a media scrum on Zoom. “I feel like we’re learning every game and taking things out of each game.”
Carey, 36, said she had no trouble reading each new player’s delivery since she had watched them throw so often when she curled against them for so many years when she lived in Manitoba before moving to Calgary.
“I think we’ve actually played better than our record in that we should have won some games that didn’t work out,” said Carey, who admitted that she had struggled with “figuring out the ice” earlier.
The Scotties veteran is also finding the atmosphere too quiet with no fans in the stands. Scotties skip Sherry Anderson said she could actually hear a toilet flush.
“It’s definitely weird,” Carey said. “It doesn’t feel like a Scotties. It feels like random spiel at a curling club somewhere.
“It’s also the first Scotties where my parents haven’t been here physically, although we’ve been keeping in touch.”
Dan Carey, her father, coached her for years.
“I definitely hear him in my head during games,” Chelsea said.
Tracy Fleury has also kept in touch daily, Njegovan said.
Thanks to the tremendous efforts and sacrifices of many Manitobans, our government recently announced limited changes to the COVID-19 public health orders. These changes represent a cautious approach to re-opening, taking into consideration that we do not want to go backwards and see case counts rise. I encourage everyone to continue following the public health fundamentals of physical distancing, washing hands and wearing a mask to keep this success going.
For our local communities and our municipal governments within the Red River North Constituency, I would like to advise that applications are now available for the 2021 Urban and Hometown Green Team Grants. The Green Team programs support summer employment for hundreds of Manitoba’s youth in supporting community projects while also providing them with valuable work experience. Green Team grants allow communities too hire youth aged 15 to 29 to work on community projects between May 1 and August 31. Eligible recipients include non-profit organizations in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba and municipal governments in rural Manitoba. The deadline for applications is February 15th. For more information on Green Team applications visit www.manitobago.ca
The Building Sustainable Communities Grant also recently opened for applications to support community development projects. The 2021 program intake has been expanded to include support for larger-scale capital projects. This includes a maximum grant contribution of 50 per cent of eligible capital project costs, up to $300,000. Eligible applicants for the Building Sustainable Communities Program include non-profit organizations, charitable organizations, municipalities, and northern affairs community councils. Deadline for applications is Feb. 28. For more information about the program, or to apply, visit www.manitobago.ca.
As we forge ahead in 2021, I continue to be honoured to represent the residents of the wonderful constituency of Red River North. While we are not out of the woods yet in this pandemic, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and together we will forge ahead and into a new, brighter day. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions or concerns you may have at (204) 641-2107 or rrnorthca@mymts.net.
Jeff Wharton is the MLA for the Red River North Constituency
Submitted by the City of Selkirk
The work that goes into putting together the city’s budget every year was tempered by a heavy dose of COVID-19 this year, and while the end result is quite pleasing it comes with some caveats. Most notably, the unpredictable nature of the virus may play a bit of havoc with the city’s best-laid plans.
Still, Selkirk once again completed its budget before 2020 was finished with us, delivered the lowest tax adjustment in over eight years and filled budget 2021 with several asset management driven infrastructure improvements.
But the difficulties of planning under the backdrop of a global pandemic can’t be understated.
Mayor Larry Johannson acknowledged the COVID affect and said there’s no getting around it – COVID had a seat at the table for this year’s budget discussions.
“Council and administration worked hard on keeping things affordable because of COVID, we needed to manage the uncertainty. It’s difficult to plan in a year where you’re not entirely clear what you’re going to be able to do or not do,” Johannson said.
“We were planning for things to return to normal to a certain extent and have work planned for spring, summer and fall, but there’s a good chance they might be delayed depending on vaccination and infection rates.”
The 1.5 per cent increase is lower than the City of Winnipeg’s 2.33 per cent and the provincial government’s reported consumer price index, which, at 2.2 per cent, is a whopping 47 per cent higher than Selkirk’s property tax increase.
Selkirk residents will pay an average of $3.50 a month more in 2021 in taxes, and in return will get improved infrastructure – including the opening of the new wastewater treatment plant, the city’s largest ever capital expenditure – better parks and trails and hopefully, the water tower will get its much-needed facelift this year.
By comparison, you may have received a notice that your Internet bill is going up this year at a rate almost double the city’s increase.
“A major Internet provider in the region just announced that their fees are going up $6 a month, and you’re getting nothing new there or better service, whereas the city’s tax increase is about $3.50 on average, and you’re getting improved services and infrastructure,” said Chief Administrative Officer Duane Nicol.
Pandemic or not, the city stuck to its Strategic Plan and its asset management program while creating the budget, as they do every year.
“Our project selection is all done with our asset management program which allows us to select the most cost-effective work to be done in the most timely fashion,” Nicol said.
The year’s work is slotted into the appropriate pillar of the five pillars that make up the Strategic Plan – Vibrant, Safe and Healthy Community, Strong and Stable Local Economy, Safe and Sustainable Infrastructure, Maximum Value from Community Resources and Environmental Stewardship.
The Strategic Plan was set for a review last year, but due to the fact public consultation – essential to the plan’s validity – couldn’t properly take place in 2020, a review is scheduled for this year.
“We want to renew our Strategic Plan, however it will be subject to our ability to properly engage with the citizens of Selkirk,” Nicol said.
“It’s too important to rush and not do a good job of engaging the people who are the rightful authors of the Strategic Plan.”
The city’s largest ever capital investment – a new $39 million wastewater treatment plant – will open this year and is already an environmental and economic success.
The plant will treat effluent to a higher standard than is required under provincial regulations and was built to a smaller size but will still be able to handle today and tomorrow’s wastewater due to technological superiorities and the city’s plan to take advantage of existing infrastructure to handle the load.
“Our wastewater treatment plant is a bold statement about Selkirk’s commitment to protecting the environment. We live beside the Red River, which flows into Lake Winnipeg and council, administration and all staff take great pride in our investment in the best technology of the day to protect the health of both those bodies of water,” Nicol said.
Work on the wastewater treatment plant began in 2018.
The city’s Active Transportation Strategy will be finalized in 2021, and though investing in infrastructure that allows people to get outside and move is always a good strategy, COVID has shone a light on just how important outdoor activity is.
“We’ve seen a lot of other cities during the COVID period step up their game with bike paths and their own active transportation program,” Nicol said.
“But in Selkirk we had been working on that strategy for the past couple of years and we’ve seen progress already, with the paths along Manitoba Avenue West and in various parks. We expect to have Selkirk’s Active Transportation Strategy finalized in this year, which will guide investments into those things going forward.”
The city has been investing in park, trail and active transportation planning, perhaps even more than usual, because it’s anticipating that government dollars are going to be available when the effort to kick start the economy begins in earnest.
“We expect that there’s going to be some potential for grant dollars in the near future, as the province and the federal government try to get the economy firing up,” Nicol said.
“A lot of our thinking has been making sure the plans are in place to align with some of those priorities that we are hearing from the provincial and federal governments, and it’s also the same stuff that we know Selkirk citizens value. The work done outdoors has a huge ROI (Return on Investment) and this past year is a prime example. Every dollar you put into a park, you get big dollars out of it in terms of services and benefit for citizens.
“There’s no better ROI in human investment for a municipality than parks and libraries.”
The city will invest $443,000 to extend the Manitoba Avenue Pathway from Easton Drive to Main Street.
The city has allocated $40,000 to a West End Regional Park Needs Assessment. Plans call for two parks in the west end, a neighbourhood park near the Woodlands retention pond that will feature walking paths and make use of natural features including a forested area and tall grass prairie the city aims to revitalize. A second larger park is several years down the road.
The water tower, which was to be painted last year, is on tap this year, with both the mural and the overall painting carried over from last year’s budget. Comp graduate Robyn Kacperski’s design will be featured high above the city skyline on the water tower after her artwork was selected from more than 30 submissions.
In 2021 the city will continue to make progress on both its Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and its Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan. Projects include the installation of a new back-up generator for the water treatment plant at a cost of $800,000. Nicol says the investment will ensure the facility can be operational during extended interruptions to power making the utility much more resilient in the face of a changing climate.
“What’s going on in Texas right now, and with what Portage la Prairie experienced in 2019 are exactly the sorts of events all municipalities must be planning for”.
The city will also invest in the replacement of aged equipment such as the fire department’s Vehicle Extrication Equipment. Sometimes called the “jaws-of-life” the extrication unit will cost over $47,000 but is a critical piece of lifesaving equipment for the department. The city has made significant investments into the Fire Department over the past three years including the new firehall and ladder truck.
Infrastructure renewal continues in 2021 with work scheduled for Agnes Avenue, with a Capital Asset Management Program (CAMP)-directed sewer renewal and asphalt reconstruction with new curbs and gutters that is expected to begin this spring or early summer. A sidewalk will be added from Manitoba to McLean and connect with the existing sidewalk.
Curb and boulevard repairs will be done on Robinson, and an investment into Phase 2 of the Business Park will happen in 2021 as well.
Eveline Street between Eaton and Queen streets will be reconstructed and brought up to today’s standards for roads, curbs and land drainage, Nicol said.
The renewal was identified though CAMP, but also supports the city’s downtown revitalization efforts. Public engagement was part of the road travelled to get to this point and a survey sought input on everything from speed and traffic control to parking and sidewalks to bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Work on the $6 million project is slated to begin in May.
Submitted by the Interlake Sexual Exploitation Educators committee
The Interlake Sexual Exploitation Educators committee is acknowledging Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week by providing a virtual presentation to parents and caregivers at no charge.
The Parents & Caregivers need to know about Sexual Exploitation Virtual presentation will be presented via TEAMS on March 9 from 7 to 8 p.m. and March 11 from 1:30 -2:30 p.m.
The one-hour session will explore the various ways that children and teens can be exploited virtually. During the presentation, parents will learn the dangers of popular social media and how it can put kids at risk for sexual exploitation and affect their mental health.
By providing information and strategies, the Interlake Sexual Exploitation Educators committee hope to empower caregivers to help keep kids safe.
The message the group wants to deliver is that awareness is key.
In order to attend the session, a device with a camera is required to participate.
In addition, attendees have a chance to win a $50.00 Master Card gift card.
To register:Cheryl at choium@lssd.caor 204-785-8224.
Check us out at www.interlakesee.ca or Instagram at iseeinterlake.
Submitted by the Interlake Eastern Health Foundation
Janet Stadnyk, a community member and Pampered Chef representative challenged herself in January to sell 20 ceramic egg cookers from the Pampered Chef line. If she succeeded, she was going to buy 20 more herself and donate them to staff in Stonewall and Selkirk for all their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As it turned out, Stadnyk was quite busy in January and ended up selling 56. She then purchased another 56 herself, to give to staff in Selkirk and Stonewall as a way of saying thanks.
Stadnyk hopes that the egg cookers will help staff prepare healthy, quick meals when they are on the go.
“Thank you so much to every amazing essential worker at the Selkirk and Stonewall Hospitals. I hope you will enjoy this ceramic egg cooker; it will feed you on those busy days. I hope it will nourish your soul and serve as a reminder of how much you are appreciated.
The egg cookers will be given to staff via draw every Monday using a numbered staff list and random number generator.
Interlake Eastern Health Foundation executive director Pamela McCallum highlights how fantastic it was working with Janet on this special project.
“When Janet reached out to me I could feel her positive energy through the phone. It is so amazing that she challenged herself to this contest and ended up far exceeding her own expectations. We are very lucky to have such generous and kind community members in our region –thank you Janet.”
Interlake Eastern Foundation’s mission is to raise funds that support health care in the Interlake-Eastern
Submitted by City of Selkirk
Provincial health orders that took effect on Oct. 31, 2020 lead to an empty Selkirk Receation Complex which many hoped would be a short interruption to the season.
While many hoped the provincial health orders that closed the Selkirk Rec Complex would be short lived, the restrictions continue and have resulted in the cancelling of the remainder of the facility’s ice season.
Brady Clark, the Director of Culture, Recreation and Green Transportation said while the decision is a responsible one, it is disheartening.
“Ice sports are valued in this community and as recreation professionals we are here to provide these services. It’s what we do. So, to have to end the season early, we’re disappointed. We had hoped things would be different – which is why we kept our ice in even though many have already removed theirs.”
The city estimates it costs about $2,500 per month to just keep the ice in, that’s without it being used. Clark says that on top of the costs, the lack of revenue makes operating the facility unaffordable.
“There’s a cost to maintaining the ice surface whether it is being used or not. That cost decreases when we are not maintaining the ice. We also reached out to user groups and the health department and it became clear to us that even if restrictions changed and we were able to reopen, the interest/demand would be well below expected levels for this time of year. There would just not be enough users for it to be feasible,” said Clark.
Cost-savings to the City is approximately $2500/month once the ice is removed. Money that can be used to offset the additional costs of COVID and helping to support the delivery of other services.
While there will be no ice for the remainder of this season, the rec complex is expected to be able to open for other services.
“We are expecting that we’ll be able to run other activities such as the walk/jog program in a safe way. We have been in contact with the provincial government on the most recent orders and we’re making arrangements. We hope we can do that very soon” said Clark.
Tony Campolo is an American sociology professor who also is a very good preacher. Some time ago, I watched a video of a sermon of his in which he told a true story of an experience he had with prayer that really made an impact on me. His story illustrates the power that there is in prayer and how God works to accomplish His purposes. This is his story as I heard him tell it:
“Several years ago I was invited to preach at a small Pentecostal college. Before the chapel service, several of the members got up and took me to a side room to pray with me. I got down on my knees and the six of them put their hands on my head and prayed for me, asking the Holy Spirit to fill me up and use me effectively as I spoke to the students.
“Pentecostals seem to pray longer and with more dynamism than we Baptists do. These men prayed long, and the longer they prayed, the more they leaned on my head. They prayed on and on and leaned harder and harder. One of them kept whispering, ‘Do you feel the Spirit?’ To tell the truth I felt something right at the base of my neck, but I wasn’t sure it was the Spirit.
“One of the members prayed at length about a particular man named Charlie Stoltzfus. That kind of annoyed me. I thought to myself, ‘If you’re going to lean so hard on my head, the least you can do is pray for me.’ He prayed on and on for this man who was about to leave his wife and three children. I can still hear him calling out, ‘Lord, Lord! Don’t let that man leave his wife and children! Send an angel to bring him back to that family! You know who I’m talking about, Lord… Charlie Stoltzfus. He lives down the road about a mile on the right hand side in a silver house trailer.’ I thought to myself, with some degree of exasperation, God knows where he lives… What do you think God’s doing – sitting up there in heaven saying, ‘Give me that address again’?.
“Following the chapel talk, I got in my car and headed home. I was getting on to the Pennsylvania junction when I saw a young man hitch hiking on the side of the road, so I picked him up. As we pulled back onto the road I introduced myself. I said ‘Hi, my name’s Tony Campolo,’ and the man replied ‘My name’s Charlie Stoltzfus.’
“I didn’t say a word but drove to the next junction, turned around and headed back. When I did that he looked at me and asked what I was doing and I said, ‘I’m taking you home.’ He said ‘Why?’ And I said, ‘Because you just left your wife and children – right?’ And he said, ‘Right, right…’ He leaned against the passenger door the rest of the way just looking at me – and then I drove off at a junction onto a side road, straight to his silver house trailer. Again he looked with astonishment and said, ‘How did you know I lived here?’ and I said, ‘God told me! Now you go inside because I want to talk to you and your wife.’
“Charlie ran in ahead of me – I don’t know what he said to his wife but when I got in there, her eyes were as wide as saucers. I sat down and said, ‘I’m going to talk and you’re going to listen.’ And did they listen – after an hour I led them both into a personal relationship with Jesus. Today that man is a Pentecostal minister.”
It’s an incredible story, I think you will agree, and it shows us the power of God and the power of our prayers to Him.
Despite not having an in-person Festival du Voyageur due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, there was still a festive spirit and plenty of smiles at Voyageur Park as visitors checked out the various snow sculptures on Feb. 21.
The Selkirk Settler Times caught up with one of the carvers of a snow sculpture on the afternoon of Feb. 21.
Larry Johannson can add another feather in his cap as the long time mayor of the City of Selkirk has been voted in as chair of the Manitoba Interlake Caucus.
Johannson told the Selkirk Settler Times that the local caucus is in its infancy as the group is preparing for its first meeting in March.
Full story and video feature coming soon.
