Halverson Hauling has commenced the demolition of the former Conrad Apartments at 124 Fifth Avenue South in Swan River. The multi-family residence was evacuated in 2020 after multiple fires destroyed the building and approximately two dozen residents were displaced. The building has since been in legal limbo as invested parties are deciding whether the property owner or insurance company is responsible to pay for damages and demolition. The Town of Swan River has hired Halverson Hauling for a quoted price of $70,000 with the expectation that they will eventually recover the cost from the property owner. The demolition is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

A frustrating season for the Dauphin Mavericks got even more frustrating this past weekend.

The local men’s rugby side travelled to Yorkton, Saturday at the request of Sask Rugby, which reached out to Mavericks president Codi Harrigan about playing an exhibition game as part of the efforts to build a rugby program in that city.

But it was not to be.

“The team didn’t end up showing, so we just kind of hit the field there with some U18 players. They came with three players, so we didn’t really have a game,” Harrigan said, adding the trip was not a complete bust, however. “We gathered everyone and we took the opportunity to do some training.”

And that training was worthwhile as it included coaching from Jamie Cudmore a former professional rugby union player and captain of the Canadian national team, who played as a lock and as a flanker. Cudmore began his career with Capilano in B.C. He then played professionally in Wales for Llanelli and Llandovery, and in France for Grenoble, Clermont and Oyonnax.

“He was in the World Cup four or five times. Sask Rugby brought him down to do some development stuff,” Harrigan said, adding players present split into two sides and played a training game. “It was a great opportunity just to get his feedback and tap into some of his knowledge and his expertise. It was nice just making that connection.”

While the season has been difficult because Rugby Manitoba can not seem to find any competition for the Mavericks, there are still opportunities for the local club to play, with a game in Brandon scheduled for July 22, and a home game versus the Wasps set for July 29. But even that is presenting some hurdles for Harrigan.

“MARR (Manitoba Association of Rugby Referees) has pretty much said we’re on our own to find a ref, as well I don’t know why that is,” Harrigan said. “So that’s my next challenge I guess. I’m gonna make it my mission”

Harrigan is hopeful a refereeing clinic tentatively set for July 22 in Dauphin goes off as planned and adds to the pool of potential referees.

“I’m hoping we’ll have some newly-certified refs that can come to get their feet wet the weekend after,” he said. “There’s about 10 of us who did the online portion last year and we were waiting to do the clinical portion in person. They said they’d come out to Dauphin, but of course they didn’t. So we’re still after them.”

With the provincial U16 and U18 teams scheduled to play exhibition games in Dauphin July 22, it is the perfect opportunity to hold the refereeing clinic, Harrigan said.

“We’re trying to get it together for this weekend, but it just seems every road I take is a dead end,” Harrigan said, adding with Rugby Manitoba executive director Patrick Ryan stepping down, it is the perfect opportunity for the association to show it cares about rural programs.

“I would really like to see someone from rural Manitoba take that position over, because I think there’s a lot of potential outside the perimeter that just needs to get tapped into. We need to see that support from Rugby Manitoba.”

Exhibition

On July 22, exhibition games will take place at the Kinsmen Rugby Pitch at Vermillion Sportsplex between provincial U16 and U18 sides from Manitoba and Saskatchewan

The U16 girls get underway at 3 p.m. while the boys game starts at 4 p.m. On the U18 schedule the girls game starts at 5 p.m. while the boys kickoff at 6 p.m.

Local players taking part in the games include Felicity Salhuka and Paityn Bourgouin on the U13 roster along with Ben Miner, Colton MIner, Sully Fox and Kingston Stirling in the boys game.

On the U18 side Lars Gubjartson, William Miner, Rhett Thachyk, Joseph Lopez, Matt Zurba, Oliver Dandeneau and Scott Gower will compete with Manitoba’s U18 boys provincial squad. The girls roster will include Bree Walker, Brooke Miner, Chloe Fletcher, Mia Maguet, Emma Fox, Saje Marohn, Allee Hrechka, Raylyn Koshowski and Megan Thompson.

A total of 58 golfers braved less than ideal conditions to take party in the Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy Two person Lady Scramble at Dauphin Lake Golf Course, July 16.

Taking top spot in the first flight was the duo of Stephanie Remniak and Pearl Maksymetz with a 72, followed closely by Ashley Shaw and Cayley Mouck in second with a 76. The team of Gail Tycholiz and Martha Messinbird finished in third place with 81.

In the second flight the pair of Leanne Fedak and Diana Thorsteinson finished first with a 90. The second place team was Laurie Vandendool and Joan Vandendool shooting a 90, while Donna Campbell and Jan Pazuik finished in the third spot with a 91.

The third flight saw Donna-Leigh Davis and Donna Lesyshen finish in first with a 96, Colleen Johnson and Elise Karpiak capture second with a 98, and Lori Bourque and Margo Elliot finish in third with a 99.

The line up of Dauphin Consumer’s Co-op members looking for their equity cheques snaked its way through the produce section of the Dauphin Food Store last week.

Over 6,600 equity cheques were available to be picked up, July 11 to 13, as Co-op hosted its annual Equity Days.

A total equity allocation of $2.9 million, including $1.8 million in cash-back to members, resulted from a successful 2022.

Cheques that were not picked up during Equity Days have been mailed out.

The rain might have come down in buckets on Saturday night, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds at the 123rd annual Gilbert Plains/Grandview Agricultural Society Fair and Rodeo, July 14 to 16, in Gilbert Plains.

Heading into the weekend, organizers made some changes to the popular event to make it attractive to even more people, and it paid off in the end, according to society president Kevin Boese.

“I think it’s probably one of the best fair and rodeos that I’ve seen since I’ve been involved there,” Boese said. “We had great attendance, parking lots were packed full of cars, the stands were full the entire weekend, with the exception of the rain, I guess. But other than that everything was perfect.”

One of the major changes made was the expansion of the chuckwagon and chariot racing from two days to three. The reason was to provide extra entertainment on Friday when there is normally a lull following the parade.

Additionally, the Manitoba Pro Chariot and Chuckwagon Association prefers to have a three-day show, something which does not happen a lot, according to Boese.

“Talking with the association after, everybody loved it. They said it was really great having a three-day show. As far as the crowds go it was great. We had full stands. Everybody loves the chuckwagons and the chariots and everybody came and watched. There’s always something going on there with the wagons and carts. It’s great to watch and it’s a real thrill to see those horses come around that last corner,” Boese said. “Great crowds, everybody was very involved with cheering and we had quite a few compliments from the chuckwagon drivers. They said there’s not a lot of crowds that get in to it, or as involved as the Gilbert Plains crowd. We’re definitely a great chuckwagon town.”

The car show was also expanded this year to try and attract new people to the grounds, and Boese said that also proved to be a success.

“There was 25 old cars and trucks in the rink there. It was a great success. I would say the craft show was very good, too. Everybody was very happy and there was lots of people that came through,” he said.

But of course the rodeo, as always, was the star of the show, Boese said.

“Other than the rain, it was a great success,” he said. “Sunday afternoon made up for Saturday. The clouds disappeared and it was a beautiful day. It was a great rodeo and the stands were packed full.”

The key to hosting a successful event over the span of decades is the ability to adapt to the times and the changing expectations of crowds, adding and subtracting attractions as necessary.

“We definitely won’t be subtracting anything. There’s a few things that we need to change up and make better, of course. Every year we get suggestions from people that stop by and there’s always more things that we want to add for next year,” Boese said. “We’ll probably have a meeting in about a month and we’ll start planning for next year.”

When it gets to down to it, it is the support of volunteers and sponsors that make the event possible at all, Boese added.

“It takes volunteers and it takes man hours and we seem to get it done every year,” he said. “Without the volunteers this thing just wouldn’t happen. And it’s just amazing. People just show up out of the woodwork and volunteer and make it happen. And a huge thank you to all of the sponsors. Without all the sponsors and the volunteers this definitely would not take place.”

Sometimes, things just fall into place - it’s almost like they were meant to be.

That’s the feeling you get when you walk into the new home of Prairie Collective Co. on the corner of Main Street and Assiniboine in Russell.

The stately old building with its grand entrance and beautiful front façade, was the first ‘official’ post office in Russell with grand high ceilings and an ambience that is perfectly conducive to the antique furnishings that Jeremy and Jessica Jamieson lovingly restore and sell out of the new building.

Check out the full story in this week's Russell Banner!

Local marijuana and CBD oil users will soon be able to shop right at home.

Adam and Dylan Carritt of Prairie Trichomes – trichomes are the resin glands of pot plants that contain THC, CBD and other cannabinoids – are in the final stages of setting up the firm’s third cannabis dispensary and are looking forward to opening the doors.

Read all about it in this week’s Review.

In the afternoon of July 11, RCMP in Roblin received a report of a lost wallet.

The person later located in their vehicle between the seats.

Want to know more? Check out this week’s RCMP report.

On Apr. 7, conservation officers from the Roblin area located an ice shelter on Lake of the Prairies seven days after the legal date they are allowed to be on the lake.

There were hundreds of shelters on the ice over the winter and this one, an old camper trailer, was the only one that had not been removed.

Find out more in this week’s Review.

Local Indigenous artist Shauna Ponask’s work is appearing again as part of another juried competition and exhibit. Ponask came across the Manitoba Society of Artists Open Juried Competition and Exhibit online and decided to try entering.
“I came across this opportunity online through the Manitoba Society of Artists, and decided I would try entering a piece,” said Ponask. “The entries were accepted from March 25 to May 5, 2023. All entries are shown virtually from May 18 to August 31, and a jury selected shortlist pieces that were displayed at Eagleridge one five exhibitions from June 1 to 28.”