WINNIPEG - June 23, 2009 - With SpeakUpWinnipeg well underway, Mayor Sam Katz today launched a new mobile team called the “Speak Up Squad”, who will provide even more opportunities for the public to get involved in the development of the city’s new official plan, Our Winnipeg. 

The Speak Up Squad is a mobile team that will be attending major events and venues around Winnipeg this summer. They will be asking citizens what matters to them about the city –  what’s working, what isn’t, what has to change, and how we should get started making these changes. That feedback will go directly into the Our Winnipeg process.

“If our plan for the city’s future is going to be called Our Winnipeg, we have to earn that title by truly engaging people,” said Mayor Katz. He went on to say, “We have an interactive website, and we’re holding public meetings and workshops.  Now, the Speak Up Squad will give people a chance to take part in the process as they’re going about their ordinary summer activities.”

Speak Up Squad members, visible in their colourful SpeakUpWinnipeg t-shirts, will offer citizens a number of ways to share their ideas and suggestions for a better city. They’ll take notes, help people post to the website (www.speakupwinnipeg.com), or even take video of citizen comments for those who want to send a message that way.

The Squad is made up of eight members, recruited through the University of Manitoba’s City Planning Program. “Our team members are very excited to make this contribution, and help people be part of SpeakUpWinnipeg,” said Squad Coordinator Jeff Pratte. “Each of us has a keen interest in planning, and this is the biggest, most inclusive planning process Winnipeg has ever seen,” he added.

Team members will be active at locations throughout the city during July and August. Further details and their schedule will be posted at the SpeakUpWinnipeg website.

WINNIPEG - June 23, 2009 - City officials and citizens take a major step towards Winnipeg’s long-range plan with tonight’s launch of the three-and-a-half-day Imagine Your Winnipeg -- City Building Charrette. The collaborative workshop, in which a team of design specialists will help city staffers and citizens test key planning ideas, will end on Friday evening with the presentation of recommended next steps towards Winnipeg’s long-range plan.

“The next four days are going to be inspiring,” said Mayor Sam Katz, “because this is the first time we’ll see designers sketch concepts for real places in the city. By Friday night, we’ll be able to imagine how a sustainable Winnipeg might look and feel decades from now.”

This workshop is part of the broader SpeakUpWinnipeg project launched earlier this year. Individual citizens, elected officials, city staffers, neighborhood groups, non-profits, business leaders, and experts from a broad variety of disciplines have taken part in the Mayor’s April Symposium on Sustainability, workshops, and other gatherings. Everything has been chronicled on SpeakUpWinnipeg blogs where even more discussion has taken place. See www.speakupwinnipeg.com. 

The public is encouraged to participate. To see more information about how the Charrette fits into the SpeakUpWinnipeg process and to download a schedule of sessions, go to www.speakupwinnipeg.com and click on the June 23-26 section under “Events.” You’ll also be able to follow the Charrette through regular reports posted on the website.

Speak Up Winnipeg City-Building Workshop
June 23-26, 2009

WHAT: A three-and-a-half-day public workshop (a “charrette”) to organize ideas and chart paths towards a new sustainable municipal land use and development plan for Winnipeg.

WHEN: June 23-26, 2009. To download a complete schedule and see an explanation of opportunities to participate, go to www.speakupwinnipeg.com.

WHERE: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Boulevard, Winnipeg. Click here for directions (http://www.wag.mb.ca/htmlfiles/visit.asp).

WHO: The charrette is open to everyone. It’s sponsored by the City of Winnipeg with support from the Province.

WINNIPEG - June 23, 2009 - Committed to providing affordable and accessible recreation and leisure programs for all citizens of Winnipeg, MLA for Burrows Doug Martindale and Mayor Sam Katz broke ground today on the renovation and expansion of the North Centennial Recreation and Leisure Facility located at 90 Sinclair Street.

“This is an exciting next step in a project that will better meet local needs and will result in the creation of a much more energy-efficient facility,” said Doug Martindale, MLA for Burrows. “As well, the creation of a new full-sized gymnasium, teaching kitchen, classroom and multi-use space will be great additions to the site.”

“The City of Winnipeg is proud to play a leading role to ensure recreational facilities are a priority for all Winnipeggers,” said Mayor Katz. “And I want to thank the 30 community organizations for their input and collaboration in the North Centennial Recreation and Leisure Facility renovation and expansion project so that we will meet the needs of all our citizens in the community.”

The estimated $6.6 million dollar expansion is an 18,000-square-foot addition to the existing North Centennial Pool and Seniors Centre, which will increase the size of the facility to 44,000 square feet. The funding is provided by all three levels of government, who contributed a total of $43 million to fund the amalgamation and construction of recreation facilities in Winnipeg.

Once complete, the renovated North Centennial Centre will contain multiple building additions, including a full-sized gymnasium, teaching kitchen, active-living space with exercise equipment, gathering spaces, classroom, boardroom, and a multi-use studio.

There are approximately 15 groups who currently use the facility, including the North End Seniors Association, the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Association, two daycares, and several sports leagues. There are also close to 30 community organizations who have had input into the expansion plans for the facility.

The new centre will be energy-efficient, and the design includes a green roof and solar wall. This will be the first City of Winnipeg-owned building to register for the Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Enhancements to the exterior of the facility are also being made as part of this project, namely; additional parking, a landscaped entrance plaza and drop-off zone, and enhanced accessibility to the facility.

The North Centennial Facility will remain open throughout the construction period except for the pool, which will close for a short time at the end of the summer.

The architect for the project is Bridgman Collaborative, and the construction contract has been awarded to Three Way Builders. Update bulletins on the project will be available on the City’s website at www.winnipeg.ca. An official opening of the expanded facility is planned for spring 2010.