Reading in print is my preferred method for news or novels. Reading on a screen is OK for short periods of time, but is hard on the eyes after a while. Unfortunately, the end has come for the print version of the Community Review. It was a great way to keep all our communities informed of local happenings and offered feel good stories in a time of world despair.

The first issue I need to touch on in this column, hoping that the second time around is the charm: Dugald Road is a major roadway dividing North and South Transcona from each other. It connects Winnipeg to surrounding communities to the east, such as Dugald, Anola, and Oakbank, Man. It is a high speed roadway that handles thousands of vehicles daily. \

When the residents of South Transcona feel like venturing out of the neighbourhood, they do so by driving a motor vehicle, riding a bicycle, or walking. To walk or ride a bike out, we must cross Dugald Road to get to the other side. Lately, it’s been a nightmare, because of construction and increased traffic eastbound. I liken it to the game Crossy Road, where you must look both ways constantly and wait for a slight opening to hurry across. Once across, the only option is to head west on the asphalt path that resembles something out of a horror movie. We don’t have the option to head eastward to Ravenhurst Street, which will allow access to local high schools or friends and family. Anyone who has attempted this risks their lives trying to travel on the two foot wide gravel shoulder. There have been some horrific accidents while attempting this feat.

We have asked our local politicians, the trails association, and developers to help us put in an active transportation path for years. It never happens. I have recently contacted all levels on this very subject and have received two responses out of five. Meanwhile, money is being spent like water on major expensive projects all over the city. Seems as though safety is a non-issue for those of us south of Dugald Road, though it should be at the top of everyone’s list.

As Parliament breaks for the summer, it’s wonderful to be back home in Winnipeg South Centre. Summer is a time to enjoy local festivals, support community organizations, and spend time with family and friends. I am looking forward to seeing many of you as we celebrate everything that makes our community strong, welcoming, and vibrant.

As always, it was a great evening recently at the Corydon Community Centre family barbecue with time spent alongside families while handing out freezies — a tremendous downpour didn’t even manage to halt the fun! It was great to be at the Fort Garry Community Centre Carnival, where the giant bubble machine and petting farm were a big hit with everyone. Over at Riverview, I enjoyed connecting with board members, meeting residents and lending a hand in the kitchen assembling burgers at their Spring Carnival. It was a great evening filled with friendly conversations and plenty of community spirit.

A sincere thank you to the community centre managers, board presidents and members, and the many dedicated volunteers whose countless hours of hard work make these events possible and keep our community centres thriving all year long. Your commitment strengthens our neighbourhoods and brings people together in the very best ways.

Strong communities are built by the dedicated organizations and volunteers who bring people together every day. I am pleased that the federal government is investing in local initiatives through the Canada Summer Jobs program and the new Building Communities Strong Fund. My office reached out to many community organizations across Winnipeg South Centre to encourage them to apply and take advantage of this new funding opportunity. Applications for this fund closed on July 17, however, if your organization has a project that strengthens our community, I encourage you to reach out to my office — we’re always happy to help.

After reading an editorial, an article, and a letter to the editor on managed homeless encampments as well as an opinion piece on the drug crisis in Winnipeg — all featured recently in the Free Press — I’m having trouble understanding city council’s refusal to acknowledge that designated encampments could serve an important transitional purpose, and help address the mental health and drug crisis in our city. Aside from the comment that city resources should be directed to build more houses, and services that managed encampment would require are provincial, the city’s opposition to managed encampments as one way to address our homelessness problem doesn’t make fiscal or societal sense.

As the editorial “Designated encampments worth second look” suggests, it is too bad the idea for authorized homeless encampments that Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) brought forward got no support from the city council, or the province. The editorial points out that managed encampments (as opposed to illegal encampments, which are being cleared) would move the homeless closer to safe place to live, and to the wraparound services provided by the provincial Your Way Home program.

According to an article “Call for managed homeless camp gets rough ride at city hall”, Marion Willis, executive director of St. Boniface Street Links, told council the groundwork has been done and it would take little effort to set up a camp; stating $1.5 to $2 million annually for the next three years would be enough to operate a managed encampment. Every dollar invested would generate savings by reducing demands on emergency services including paramedics, police and other public services, she contends, while also identifying two potential sites: near the former boat launch by the Louise bridge, or a vacant industrial land north of Higgins underpass.

Jules Rocque’s letter to the editor “Needs of unhoused are immediate” provided a bridge between the debate between housing and homeless encampments, by stating it is not an either/or choice: build more housing or deal with encampments. Building more housing will take years, and the homeless need a safe place to live now. A managed, supported encampments, as proposed by Willis, will provide a temporary solution for the homeless until housing is available, and transitioning can occur, while also urging the city, province and community agencies to work together to address both the short and the long term needs.

Summer is here and in the Notre Dame constituency we are taking advantage of every bit of this time of year with community clean ups, barbecues for seniors and free summer camps for children and youth.

Community clean-ups

Our office is happy to help plan monthly community clean-ups from May to September. We are so thankful for the dozens of volunteers who show up the last Saturday of the month for a few hours in the morning to help clean up our streets, boulevards and back lanes. We are grateful for donations of food for breakfast and lunch for these clean-ups. Recently, Russell-Binscarth councillor Wes Anderson donated Tim Hortons coffee and donuts for our volunteers’ breakfast and Mar’s Sisig on Winnipeg Avenue (inside Lucky Supermarket) donated pansit and sisig for lunch for volunteers. Mr. Garbage donated the garbage bin and paid for the dump fees. The Clean Slate Team from the Downtown Community Safety Partnership also help out by picking up large, bulky items, such as illegally dumped old furniture, that our clean up volunteers identify during the clean-up. Our next clean-up will be in the Weston and Brooklands neighbourhoods from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 25. Our meeting place will be at the Weston Community Centre at 1625 Logan Ave.

Summer barbecues at seniors homes

I was honoured to attend the unveiling of an Indigenous art installation created by a St. Johns constituent, Fredrick Spence, alongside his collaborators on the project, Darren Sakwi and Rob Peristy. This public stainless-steel installation is titled Maamaawi Naanaagadawendamowin, which translates to “Gather your Heart.” Located at the Kevin Walters Plaza — a new public gathering space celebrating Winnipeg’s cultural and entertainment district — the art piece sits outside the historic Burt Cummings Theatre, grabbing the attention of pedestrians and motorists passing through this downtown location.

Maamaawi Naanaagadawendamowin celebrates the meeting of Anishinaabe and Western musical traditions. It invites visitors to see connections between Indigenous teachings and contemporary urban life, between Winnipeg’s artistic past and its evolving future. It reveals multiple stories. A drum — symbolizing the heartbeat of Indigenous culture — is shaped like a film reel, acknowledging the site’s cinematic past.

Spence spoke about how deeply personal the project is. He grew up frequenting the nearby Towne 8 Cinemas with his family, creating memories from which he pulls some of his inspiration. Installing his first major public artwork beside those childhood memories gives the sculpture an emotional resonance that extends beyond its physical form.

Spence invited artist, KC Adams, to join him in singing the Bear Song, which he mentioned was healing for him and important to share with everyone. With the drum in hand, he talked about the first hit of the drum as the starting point of Maamaawi Naanaagadawendamowin.