Released: 10.02 a.m.
Winnipeg, MB - The City of Winnipeg’s $3.8 million commitment to support active families and year-round outdoor play is getting underway with winter activity upgrades in Transcona’s Buhler Recreation Park, as part of a city-wide investment in recreation and leisure.
“We have many parks, playgrounds or wading pools that need upgrading,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “We will be making a city-wide investment to strengthen these community places, from safety upgrades to beautification projects, adding to Winnipeggers’ quality of life.”
“Winnipeggers make great use of our parks and athletic fields,” said Councillor Jeff Browaty, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development. “This $3.8 million investment in our recreation and leisure properties gives us the opportunity to make these facilities more enjoyable for their users.”
In 2013, the City of Winnipeg intends to allocate $200,000 towards turning Transcona’s Buhler Recreation Park into an all season destination.
“I am pleased to support the East Winnipeg Sports Association and the many volunteers who organize activities at Buhler Recreation Park in reaching their dream of making the park an all-season destination,” said Deputy Mayor Russ Wyatt (Transcona), and Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Finance. “Once these upgrades are complete, Buhler Recreation Park will become as popular in the winter as it is in the summer.”
Planned improvements at Buhler Recreation Park include:
- Developing the pond area into a skating rink, equipped with lighting, benches, landscaping and pond entrance feature,
- Enclosing the canteen with doors that allow for natural lighting
- Creating a warm-up, refreshment area in the canteen
- Enhancing the trail system to accommodate cross-country skiing
- Adding a pond aerator to help with mosquito control in the summer months
The 2013 Preliminary Capital Budget, tabled earlier this month, allocates $271,428 for each of 14 wards to invest in recreation and leisure.
Eligible projects may include:
- Neighbourhood and regional parks
- Playgrounds including play structures, site amenities, accessibility improvements, landscaping
- Athletic fields (turf and drainage improvements, field redevelopment)
- Skateboarding areas
- Wading pool upgrades and conversion to spray pads
- Support for neighbourhood commercial areas such as streetscaping
- Neighbourhood safety lighting and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) initiatives
- Pathways, cycling routes, and community linkages and connection
- Improvements to community facilities and amenities such as renovations to support intergenerational multi-use facilities within their existing square footage
Projects will be selected in consultation with area Councillors and will be implemented in consultation with project stakeholders and with the approval of the Manitoba-Winnipeg Recreation Leisure Infrastructure Program Management Committee. The Elmwood - East Kildonan Ward is not eligible to participate, as the East Elmwood Community Centre is receiving $3.2 million from the Recreation and Leisure Infrastructure Program in 2013, jointly supported by the City and the Province.