Local boxer gaining international experience

Isaiah Rock came home from his first two international bouts with valuable lessons he knows will make him a better boxer in the future.

In February, Rock, 23, represented Team Canada at BoxAm in La Nucía, Alicante, Spain, a tournament featuring boxers with Olympic experience. Matched against the seasoned Kazakh fighter Nurzat Ongarov, a former BoxAm medalist, Rock lost a decision, but learned plenty.

“I didn’t know who I was going to fight, but I pictured it in my head,” the West End resident said. “I imagined it would be super uncomfortable and incredibly fast-paced. I overdid it a bit, but generally handled it well.

“At that level, the smallest things really matter,” he added. “The experience plays a role on the international level. I learned that my skills work there, that I can handle the moment. Even when I was about to fight, I felt nothing. It was just a job I had to do.”

New developments planned for northwest Winnipeg

Various developments were approved, from new grocery stores to housing units, during the Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee’s regular meeting on June 2.

Plans for a new mixed-used development at 1245 Court Ave., which includes 32-units and space for commercial businesses on the first floor, were approved. Anticipated businesses include a medical office, grocery store, and a café, according to the plan proposal.

“The building looks good, and there was a lot of community consultation done early on,” said Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan).

Along McPhillips Street, a plan to develop a 25-acre plot of land into commercial development featuring a new Sobeys and McDonald’s, was approved by the committee. While there are other commercial spaces in the proposal, no other tenets have been confirmed or approved.

Two new apartments OK’d by Assiniboia committee

The Assiniboia community committee held its regular meeting on May 29.

City councillors approved plans for two seven storey, mixed income apartment buildings side-by-side on Bridge Lake Drive in the Bridgewater Area.

The first development located at 4 Bridge Lake Dr. approved has 246 units, with 101 being affordable units. The second approved, without a civic address at time of publication, plan has 204 units, with 84 affordable housing units.

Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) made a motion to amend a zoning by-law that would allow City of Winnipeg residents to park one RVs, trailers, or reactional vehicles on their driveway between May 1 to Oct. 31, instead of the current dates from May 15 to Oct. 31.

WSD graduation powwow a success

On June 3, the Winnipeg School Division held its graduation powwow at Canada Life Centre.

Approximately 2,000 graduating students from across the division took part, as well as staff, families, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community members, and dignitaries.

Ground broken on first new RETSD school since 1990

Construction has officially begun in Devonshire Park on a new K-8 school in West Transcona, the first built in the division since 1990, after a groundbreaking event was held on June 2 at the construction site.

The currently unnamed school will be part of the River East Transcona School Division and have a capacity for 800 students after the initial capacity of 675 students was raised to “accommodate this growing community,” said Education Minister Tracy Schmidt.

According to Schmidt, the school will be 9,000 square feet and feature a gym, a multipurpose room, and integrated childcare with a capacity for 134 kids.

This school is one of 11 new schools the provincial government promised to build in the 2025 budget. Budget 2026 announced funding for construction of this school, as well as two others in Winnipeg in Meadowlands and Prairie Pointe and a fourth in Brandon.

Local band releases animated film

Take a cruise through a wacky, fun film filled with dad jokes, secret police, and a sentient spoon, while riding with the band in a 2001 Pontiac Sunfire.

With music from Winnipeg band, It’s All in the Mind, No Rock Unturned is a new animated film that follows the band’s missing drummer — which is a hot commodity in the local music scene — through a magical portal out of Winnipeg to a fictional fantasy world.

“It’s meant to be fun,” said Mark David Stallard, animator, editor, and director of the film, as well as lead vocals and guitarist for It’s All in the Mind. “Maybe promote conversation.”

The band features Stallard (lead vocals and guitar), Ryan Janz (bass), Jared Adams (lead guitar and vocals), and Brennan Saul (drums).

West End’s artistic geode building

At first sight, 618 Arlington St. appears to be a tan brick building that looks somewhat out of place amongst the residential houses in the area. But on the inside, a collage of artistry and craft is scattered throughout the rooms of this charming old building.

The building is home to 618 ARTlington Studios — a collection of studios available for rent, with more than 30 artists using the space.

Above the front door is a stained-glass circle made by Wesley Krahn.

“I feel like a left a mark, to put it humbly,” Krahn laughed. “I love the building and the vibe, but it’s the people I stayed for.”

Saving an outdoor St. James museum

Assiniboine Park officially opened early in the 20th century. Most of the park is south of the Assiniboine River. On May 21, 1932, a footbridge opened creating a permanent link between Portage Avenue, the St. James part of the park, and most of the park south of the Assiniboine River.

Directly across from Joe Black’s Coffee, there is a park bench in memory of Grant W. Laycock (1937-2012), an insurance company executive with the Simcoe Erie Insurance Company. The bench’s inscription reads: “Grant lived on Overdale and had happy times here. ‘Enjoy the Park’.”

The park benches on the St. James side of Assiniboine Park pay tribute to people with a St. James connection from various walks of life. Sam and Marj Chambers were also from Overdale Street. Sam was the president of the Deer Lodge Community Club, while Marj was a long time member of the St. James Art Club who specialized in hand sculpted crocuses.

George and Connie Waters played a vital role in establishing the Laureate Academy for special needs students. George Waters Middle School is named after George, who was a school trustee and a lifetime member of the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce, which is currently located right across the street from this part of Assiniboine Park.

Let’s do the locomotion…

The 100th birthday of a beloved Transcona landmark will be celebrated later this month.

The Transcona Museum and the Transcona BIZ are organizing an event to celebrate the centennial of the CN 2747, which will be held on Saturday, June 20 between 1 and 4 p.m. at Rotary Heritage Park (735 Kildare Ave. W). The event is presented by CN.

According to the museum’s website, the CN 2747 train was constructed in April 1926 at the Canadian National Railway Shops in Transcona. It was the first steam locomotive to be constructed at the Transcona Shops, and it was also the first steam locomotive built for the Western Region.

In recent years, more than $600,000 has been raised through a capital campaign to ensure the historic engine has been preserved, protected and secured for future generations to enjoy, and it now rests in a permanent enclosure. In 2015, the museum acquired ownership of the engine from the Midwestern Rail Association, which had acquired the locomotive from the Kiwanis Club.

First Trans Canada flight deserves recognition

If you were to book a flight from Halifax to Vancouver, the expected arrival time is about six and a half hours. At least that’s the estimate travel time on Google.

When the first Trans-Canada flight left Halifax for Vancouver back in 1920, the trip took 10 and one-half days. The actual time in the air, however, was 49 hours and seven minutes. The average speed was 68 mph, according to Gordon Crossley, Heritage Officer 17 Wing, who provided a fascinating account of the first Trans-Canada flight at Charleswood Historical Society’s heritage series.

In describing in detail the first Trans-Canada flight, Crossley outlined what was at once a daring yet necessary undertaking. Daring because the aviation industry was in its infancy, and Canada’s “air force” consisted of surplus British aircraft that had been gifted to Canada following the war. Necessary because more than 20,000 pilots and other service personnel who had served in the British forces returned to Canada, and needed work. This scenario created the political will for the development of the aviation industry in Canada.

Under the auspices of the Canadian Air Board, an organization formed after the First World War, the Trans-Canada flight was a way to test the viability of aircraft for mail and passenger service, as well as demonstrate the need for civil and military aviation in Canada, Crossley told an enthusiastic crowd.

Choir camp for adults an uplifting experience

Singing is not only good for the soul, it’s good for overall health, too.

In her 2024 article, “9 Reasons Why Singing With Others Makes Us Healthier and Happier,” Dr. Arla Good, co-director and chief researcher of an international research project, shares an extensive list of why singing might be helpful to our health.

Among the benefits Good includes, she states that singing improves mood, reduces stress, promotes psychological well-being, stimulates the brain, reduces loneliness, and fosters a healthy body.

In Winnipeg, there’s a summer singing camp for adults that strives to help participants experience all of that.

Social for Ukraine a smash hit

The fifth annual Social for Ukraine was held on May 9 at the Big ‘A’ at the Travelodge by Wyndham Winnipeg Airport West (1975 Portage Ave.).

Presented by Lee Wren of Re/Max Executives Realty and produced by co-chairs Jennifer Hanson and Kelly Ryback, the social showcased Hanson’s band Jenerator, as well as special guests including Rocki Rolletti, Daryl Guthiel and Jeff Neill of Streetheart, and the eLRoy Blue Band featuring Larry Roy, Stan Bedernjak, and Ego Spank.

Organizers say around $50,000 has been raised to date for the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, including $9,660 raised this year from ticket sales, door prize draws and donations.