The Dauphin Mavericks won their third straight game, Saturday in Brandon, scoring a 26-0 win over the Winnipeg Wasps, to improve their record to 3-4.

Camillus Abatai scored two tries, while Nick Searle and Riley Keith scored one each and Ryan Dreger had three converts. Searle was named Man of the Game for Dauphin.

Dauphin allowed 125 points in their first four games, all losses. In their three wins, the Mavericks have only allowed two tries for 10 points.

When the season started in June, team president Codi Harrigan said the Mavericks were a new team that had never played together.

“We had some new guys and never really knew what we needed to work on or what the other teams would bring to the table,” he said. Once they had a few games under their belts, the Mavericks knew what they had to work on. One of the things that was consistent that we needed to improve on was our defence,” he said. “So we worked on that in practice. Guys showed up to practice consistently. We really improved on our defence and it’s really starting to show. Our scrums, we’re winning those. We’re winning our lineouts. Our defence is really holding teams to a minimum number of points right now. That’s really come to light lately.”

Having players attended practice on a regular basis has really helped the team’s steady improvement on the pitch.

“When guys show up consistently, the more time we get with the ball in our hands, running our systems, it only does good. When we go to a game, it’s like we’re just going to another practice, but with some opposition. It’s definitely helped us,” Harrigan said.

Three players who are new to the sport played their first game on Saturday.

“One guy never played rugby in his life and he picked it up quick,” Harrigan said. “We play a simple system. It’s just straight up rugby and he did great. he enjoyed it.”

Anyone interested in playing rugby with the Mavericks is encouraged to call Harrigan at 204-648-6446.

Dauphin will be home to the Haka Rugby Global Elite Camp, Aug. 18 and 19, at Kin Field at the Vermillion Park Sportsplex.

The camp is open to youth ages seven to 18 and will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., each day.

Harrigan said it is a camp which tours around the world. They have already been to Europe, he said, and are now in the United States before heading north of the border.

“It’s a great chance for youth to develop their skills or come try out the sport,” he said.

One of the instructors, Harrigan added, will be a fulltime New Zealand All Blacks rugby player.

There is only 50 spots available, so Harrigan encourages anyone interested in attending the camp to register as soon as possible.

To register, visit www.hakarugbyglobal.nz/camps. The registration fee is $150 and includes a HRG training t-short and shorts.

Swan Valley residents filled the seats set up inside the Swan River Community Centre on Thursday (Aug. 4) for a one-night only visit from Circus Funtastic, a travelling circus company featuring super costumes
and all of the usual circus fun with clowns, high wires, stunts and bags of popcorn to share with the family.

The City of Dauphin will see its lagoon system finally get upgraded and expanded.

The federal and provincial governments announced more than $34.4 million in funding for 10 wastewater and waste management projects in Manitoba, including $9.1 million for the Dauphin project.

Work will include constructing and upgrading a lagoon reactor system, building a new sewage treatment facility, and installing new pipes and will result in increased capacity to treat and manage wastewater and to accommodate population growth.

The announcement was made Monday by Manitoba Labour, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister Reg Helwer.

The City’s Director of Public Works and Operations Mike VanAlstyne, said the upgrades will allow the city to continue their current operations and improve the quality of the effluent released into Vermillion River once it has been treated.

“The improvements will also allow for a sustained population growth and industrial growth,” he added. “It’s going to be good. It’s going to improve our environmental outputs to the world and to the surrounding areas and lakes and wetlands. By reducing nitrogen and phosphorus levels, you’ll have cleaner waterways that meet environmental conditions.”

Design work is expected to begin this winter, with construction expected to begin in 2024 or 2025.

“It’s a large project that takes some detailed work. We’ll work with the province and the federal government, because the water quality regulations fall with them now. So they’ve output limits to what the water quality should be, so we have to work to meet those.”

After many years of trying to get this project off the ground, Dauphin mayor Christian Laughland said the announcement is huge for the community when to comes to expansion.

“And just overall facility operations, too. It’s really good to see,” he said. “It means a lot just from the expansion side, especially with the fact that the highway on the south side is being updated now, as well. I’m really looking forward to the next, really, five to 10 years in Dauphin. I think it’s going to be a really exciting time to be really open for business and have a lot of different companies, private and public, come to the community and, hopefully, operate out of here.”

Dauphin MLA Brad Michaleski said the federal and provincial governments working together with municipal government was a key to the project coming to fruition.

“The timing is good. We need this type of infrastructure investment for the growth and development of the community and it’s just fantastic that we’re getting this commitment,” he said.

Businesses, Michaleski said, are looking for regions and communities that are developing their infrastructure to attract business.

“It’s a very positive signal from Dauphin to the business world, to the investment world that we’re getting out in front of this, that we’re making the structural investments needed,” he said. “It’s great that the province and federal government are both onside with this.”

The weather was clear and the water was calm, perfect conditions for Wally's Place 3rd Clearwater Lake Boat Parade, held this past Sunday.
According to Cheryl Antonio, 39 water crafts were registered from sea doos to pontoons to motorized canoes. “There was even a sasquatch sighting,” she said. The boats assembled and lined up and were ready to go by 11:00 am at the Camper's Cove boat launch. “Parade marshall and main sponsor, Wes Greenwood, led the amazing site back around and in front of the people-packed beach,” Heading down the shore lines, Greenwood was so pleased to see docks crowded with spectators.

If you ever wanted to try out different art mediums, the Try It Yourself Art Show hosted by Uptown Emporium 53, the Sam Waller Museum and The Pas Arts Council was the place to do so. The event was open to people of all ages and free for participants. It was held last Saturday at the Christ Anglican Church Hall and brought in an excellent crowd.
“There were approximately 80 people of all ages that came through,” said Uptown Emporium 53 Champion Cheryl Antonio. People had lots of different styles of art to try at the Try It Yourself Art Show. Local artists from the area taught all of the various art mediums to participants.
“There were several different art mediums for people to try,” said Antonio. “Anita Genaille showed people how to paint with watercolours, acrylics, and oil. Anisa Eliuk and her daughter Emily Heape taught how to make beautiful, beaded bracelets. Shelly Hanchuk, from Handmade by Shelly, brought in her sewing machine and helped participants to make fantastic hair scrunchies.

It’s time to start thinking about elections across the province for both municipal and provincial bodies. Many provincial candidates are in the process of being announced as running in the 2023 election. The Pas NDP MLA Amanda Lathlin recently held a Meet and Greet last week to reconnect with people in the constituency and hear their concerns.
“One of my main concerns right now is access to healthcare services,” said The Pas NDP MLA Amanda Lathlin. “We’re trying to address the nursing shortages throughout northern Manitoba and I feel there needs to be more collaboration at all levels, including First Nations, especially in regards to recruitment and retention. The First Nation and northern communities need to have input to let the government know what needs are required and necessary in order for them to have the same quality of healthcare as the rest of Manitoba, especially outside of the perimeter.

Gord Landriault has been known as Mr. NDP over the years and has dedicated over 40 years to the party. Last Friday was Landriault’s last day in office working as the Constituency Assistant for MP Niki Ashton and the start of his retirement.
“I got involved with the NDP by helping a friend of mine put up signs back in 1969,” said Landriault. “Then in 1974, I got more involved when I moved into The Pas area and began working with Ron McBryde as the MLA.
“My involvement in labour and labour’s affiliation with the party is what drew me in. The NDP’s support for labour, how they represented the everyday working people and their policies were all things I firmly believe in.”
Landriault started out working on candidates’ election campaigns back in the 70s. He loved getting out, meeting the people and hearing their concerns. This led to him being a part of several successful election campaigns for the NDP, not just in Manitoba, but other provinces as well.

The public was invited to visit some of Swan River’s private green spaces during the Garden Walk tour, which serves as a fundraiser for the Swan River Ladies Golf Club. 

Crowds flooded the midway at the NorthWest Round-up and Exhibition this past weekend keeping it filled with activity from opening until closing.

The ice is in at Credit Union Place, which can only mean hockey season is not that far away.

An elite skills and skating camp takes place at the CUP, Aug. 2 to 5, featuring former Dauphin Kings Grady Hobbs and Nakodan Greyeyes, as well as strength and conditioning coach Hayley Choma.

The Dauphin Kings skill and development camp goes, Aug. 15 to 19.