Even though the amount of snowfall has been less than normal this year, Swan River resident Ed Maga was still able to construct a snowman as tall as his house in his front yard, collecting as much snow as he could from his property and his neighbour’s property on Sixth Avenue North. While the warm weather and rain has caused some shrinkage on the dimensions, the frosty giant stands strong as ever.

Dauphin city council has identified recreation as one of its priorities. And with discussions concerning the 2024 financial plan well underway, the City is hoping it’s partners at the Rural Municipality of Dauphin join them in addressing a longstanding funding shortfall to the system.

The Dauphin Joint Recreation Commission was formed in 1992 through an agreement, based on population, which called for 78 per cent of recreation funding to be provided by the City, with 22 per cent coming from the RM.

In 2017, the RM of Dauphin pulled out of the original agreement, which over the years, mayor David Bosiak said, has resulted in about a cumulative $650,000 shortfall in recreation funding.

“We’re talking to them and we’re inviting them to revisit the original funding agreement when the DJRC was formed in 1992. We’re just asking them to consider that,” Bosiak said.

That is not to say the RM has not contributed to recreation over the years. Intially the council of the day set the contribution at $250,000 and it has increased annually with cost of living adjustments with this year’s funding expected to be around $300,000.

RM of Dauphin reeve Ernie Sirski said recreation is a topic of discussion at his council table and it is a subject the RM takes seriously.

“Recreation is important, not just for the City of Dauphin, it’s important to our citizens, as well, and that’s why we’ve continued to fund them. It’s not at the level that it was in 2017, but we’ve continued to fund it and we’ve continued to allow for inflation in that funding so it’s not as if we’ve been stagnant in our total funding,” Sirski said.

“We still contribute to the capital x, to the repairs and maintenance. That’s a nonissue. It’s the operating procedures that we’re talking about. “What it boils down to is, is this where we stay? If no, then, where are we going to go going forward? That’s the issue and we haven’t come to that conclusion yet.”

The RM has requested information on Dauphin Recreation Services operations and will take the time needed to digest that information. The cutback was put in place by a previous council, Sirski said, and the current council is working to understand why that decision was made.

As a result, he is unsure of when RM council will make a final decision on the City’s request.

“It’s not going to happen this year. We’ve got one more meeting this year and we’re going through all the information that we’ve been provided. It’s such a big file that we have to give it due diligence,” he said. “What we’re looking at is usage. We’re looking at who uses the facility and we’re trying to get a feel of all aspects of the organization.”

Even so there will be around a $100,000 shortfall in programming money in the DRS’ nearly $2 million budget this year, Bosiak said, adding he would like to see the RM reconsider its level of participation in the system, hopefully getting back to the original agreement, which would ease the burden on urban taxpayers.

“Because, in addition to contributing our 78 per cent of operating capital based on the rec commission’s annual budgets, we’ve also, since 2017, made up a majority of that RM shortfall,” he said. “It’s really crimped the rec commission’s ability to operate the way they’d like to. To provide recreation services for all citizens and to provide a lot of free or easily accessible recreation opportunities for our citizens.”

As the community’s recreation director at the time of the DJRC’s formation, and having worked 11 years as a private recreation consultant, Bosiak confidently calls the existing agreement “very, very fair.”

“We were viewed by many in the province and the provincial government at the time, as the best recreation commission in Manitoba, because of that relationship,” he said. “I saw how many communities constantly struggled when they were trying to negotiate municipal partnerships. Some based on taxation, some based on land, some based on other agreements that were very, very difficult to determine. It caused annual angst and discussion. So we had a great situation.”

Just last week, Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute (MBCI) held a special recognition for some of their staff that are retiring and have hit milestones in terms of years of service.

With the coming of a New Year just around the corner, one can’t help but also be thinking about Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMTF). The NMTF Arts and Craft Show is open for vendors to register online. There are a few different things to be aware of with this year’s NMTF Arts and Craft Show, one in particular is its new location.
“The biggest change for the NMTF Arts and Craft Show is that this year we will be at UCN,” said NMTF Arts Craft Show Director Leah Yelland. “Also, we're doing registration for $15 a table. Another new addition, is that we received upgrades to our website, which allows us accept online payments easier.”      
The rules and regulations for the NMTF Arts and Craft Show are the same as last year.

The Town of The Pas held a council meeting on December 5 and a Special Meeting for the Budget and Strategic Plan on December 11. Members of council participated in the Association of Manitoba Municipalities’ (AMM) Fall Convention at the end of November. Council had the opportunity to meet with the new provincial government and discuss some of the issues in the north.
“Our key goals for being at AMM’s Fall Convention were to address some of our challenges in the north and some potential solutions,” said Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “We were able to talk about the housing, infrastructure, taxation, community safety and funding issues with the appropriate ministers. It was great and allowed us an opportunity to network and get to know this new government, which was very positive. “I came away from there with a really good feeling about cooperativeness, working together and collaboration. It was a really strong message coming from our current government. I’m optimistic about where we’re going to be going in the future and working closely with the current government.

Multiple homes in Swan River have been shuttered in the last month due to reported health and safety violations, which has forced the people living there to be abruptly evicted with a questionable future of where they are going to be able to live next.
One such resident was Brenda Cook, who was living in the white house at the corner of First Street South and Seventh Avenue South before she and everyone else in the building were unceremoniously told to leave following an investigation from Manitoba Justice that determined the house was an unsuitable habitation.
Cook was one of three people on the lease for the rental property, all three paying $500 each every month. Some of the people living there with her were her adult children and her niece.
“When I stayed in there I fixed that place up with my son Matthew helping me,” said Cook. “I had a group of friends that were helping me with everything, food, blankets, dishes.”
When Cook was told to leave, she was given 20 minutes to gather what she could and leave. Most of her belongings were left behind.
“I only took the jackets, the socks, the sweaters, my blanket and my pillow,” said Cook, noting she didn’t even take the blankets of her children.
“I went to my cousin’s because I feel safe with her. But I don’t really like staying there because there’s no heat or running water.”
Cook added that on the night after they got evicted, people were walking around all night and she was worried somebody would freeze. The night following the eviction on Nov. 23 was one of the coldest overnight periods in the last month.
“I even kind of forgot I was evicted because I said to (my son) Matthew, I just want to go home,” she said. “Oh wait, we don’t even have a home.”
Cook has struggled with addiction and substance abuse since 1999, but said she has been clean for three years now.
“I was using because of my common law husband running in and out with other women,” she said. “I started drinking.
“When he started leaving me longer and longer, I started using bad. And my mother taught me how to use these drugs. I was getting them from her.”
While she has since learned how to budget the disability cheque she does get, when she was living on harder times while in Brandon, she would stand on the street corner and sell herself to get by.
“I did everything for drugs and money and alcohol just to get by,” said Cook.
Cook also mentioned that her childhood wasn’t easy as well, having to take care of her parents and her brothers and sisters when she was only six years old because her parents were busy drinking every night.
“I blame my dad for my mom’s death because she got cancer from second-hand smoke and my mom wasn’t a smoker,” said Cook.
Cook had her first child when she was only 12 years old and more after that. However, she did end up pursuing an education and achieved her certification in Early Childhood Education Level 2.
“I wanted to work in Wuskwi Sipihk and wanted to become a homemaker there,” she said. “I can still have a job there, but I don’t have a way to get there.”
Though there were only three people on the lease for the White House, several others lived there and many more were present at the time the Department of Health did their inspection.
But, Cook insisted that the home was a safe and welcoming place.
“People thought we were cooking drugs in this house and I was thinking, ‘What? Come look around the house and check for yourself,’” she said. “(I would tell them) ‘If you think that’s what’s going on here, I don’t want you to come back.’”
Cook added that her son Matthew had to resort to throwing people out a couple of times.
Cook also noted her efforts to maintain the property, mowing the lawn and doing her best to fix windows that were broken, always being as resourceful as she could be.
The house was one of the places she could feel safe. While she generally isn’t bothered having to walk around Swan River, Cook explained how she has been harassed by others in town before and feared for her safety, having to defend herself.
One of the local blessings was having Meet Off Main when it was still funded and open, as it helped feed everyone.
“It helped a lot,” said Cook. “On weekends I had to cook for these people that come in and out to eat. I’d make bannock and soup, coffee and tea. We were trying to help each other.”
Despite hot meals no longer being on the menu, she added that the current CMHA supports in their new facility on Seventh Avenue North are good as well.
It remains to be seen what solutions will come for Swan River residents with vulnerable housing situations.

The Christmas break could not have come at a better time for the Dauphin Kings.

The Kings enter the break on a three-game losing skid and remain in third place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s MGEU West Division.

Dauphin suffered its second straight loss, Friday, when they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Selkirk Steelers.

Owen Weihs, Joel Purdom and Rocco La Cara scored for Selkirk while Anthony Bax had both goals for Dauphin.

Jack Hodgins made 54 saves to record the win. Austin Seibel took the loss after stopping 32 shots.

On Saturday, Dalton Andrew scored three times to lead the Winkler Flyers to a 7-4 win over the Kings in Winkler.

Mike Svenson, Tanner George, Brady Craik and Blake Matheson also scored for Winkler, while Aidan Brook with two, Logan Walker and Caden Glover replied for Dauphin.

Liam Ernst earned the win in goal with 34 saves.

Cole Sheffield started for Dauphin and had 16 saves before giving way to Seibel, who stopped all six shots he faced.

The Kings enter the Christmas break with a 16-11-1-0 record for 33 points. They sit seven back of the OCN Blizzard for second and 11 behind Virden in first. They are also only two points ahead of the Neepawa Titans.

The Kings come out of the break with a game, Jan. 5, when they host the Winnipeg Freeze.

The Parkland Rangers remain in the hunt for a playoff spot as the Christmas break looms.

The Rangers split a pair of games with the Pembina Valley Hawks, this past weekend on home ice.

Ryzlie Nepinak’s goal with 9:18 remaining in the third period lifted Parkland to a 4-3 win, Saturday night.

Alex Campbell, Cam Sarna and Hayden Seib also scored for the Rangers, while Kam Thomas with two and Sam Delaquis replied for the Hawks.

Chase Glover had 34 saves to pick up the win in goal. Bryson Yaschyshyn made 28 saves in a losing cause.

On Sunday afternoon, Liam Goertzen scored twice to lead the Hawks to a 7-2 win.

Acoyen Fehr, Haiden Friesen, Charlie Hill, Thomas and Brett Lesage had Pembina Valley’s other goals, while Maddox Shindle and Cash McCallum scored for Parkland.

Ryler Gates had 21 saves in the win, while Ethan Myhre stopped 16 shots in taking the loss.

Parkland’s record now sits at 9-11-2-1 for 21 points. They are in 10th place, but sit just one point out of a playoff spot and are two points out of seventh and five back of thew sixth-place Winnipeg Thrashers.

Following Sunday’s loss, a frustrated Rangers head coach Tyler Carefoot was not pleased with the team’s play in either game.

“We greased one out (Saturday). Found a way to win. If you look back at the last seven games, we got points in five of the last seven games. The standard of accountability changes as you win more and as you earn points,” he said. “So (Saturday) we found a way to win, we greased one out. But overall, collectively, I didn’t like a lot of things about (Saturday’s) game. But we got the two points.”

Sunday’s game, Carefoot said, was “super discouraging”, adding the game was emphasized for its importance.

“And right from puck drop, lack of urgency, lack of puck management, lack of game management. We were flat. Everything was flat. Pretty much from top to bottom, it was flat.”

In a league where there is so much parity and every game is important with playoff implications on the line, Carefoot feels the Rangers are in a position to write their own ticket when it comes to the postseason.

“Did we think we would be in a playoff spot right now? We’re battling for playoff position. So now to have a result like today in very discouraging,” he said. “But the Parkland Rangers, we’re resilient, we’re going to persevere and Tuesday is now the most important game of the season.”

That Tuesday game Carefoot spoke of is the final game before the Christmas break, a tilt in Shoal Lake against the Yellowhead Chiefs, who trail Parkland by five points.

Carefoot said the team has to overcome its lackluster play to beat the Chiefs, even though some players are playing sick.

“But we can’t use that as an excuse. There’s guys that have to step up. We have to simplify our game. The more urgent we play with all the little details that teams talk about that brings success, everything just gets a little bit easier. But this weekend, lackluster,” he said. “It’s a choice. It’s hard to work hard, but Tuesday is massive for our group. Because we have an opportunity to have to 10 wins. I’d be lying to you. Did I think we were going to have 10 wins this season? No, I didn’t. We can have 10 wins before Christmas. That’s pretty awesome. But we laid an egg this weekend.”

NOTE: Tuesday's game has now been postponed as players on both sides continue to fight illnesses.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) recently welcomed four more new Filipino health-care workers, some with family members, who were recruited earlier as part of Manitoba’s Philippines Recruitment Initiative earlier this year.

The new arrivals landed at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport, Nov. 28. They were understandably tired but excited for the next steps in their journey. Here’s some additional background on Prairie Mountain Health region’s newest residents.

Jay-ar Felipe is an internationally-educated nurse who will be working at Dauphin Regional Health Centre as an Undergraduate Nurse Employee – Internationally Educated Nurse until such time gap training is complete as full licensure as a Registered Nurse is obtained.

Check this week's Herald for the full story!

After a lengthy time not being able to gather the community together, the Dauphin and District Community Foundation hosted a special luncheon, Dec. 15, to announce grant recipients from its fall intake and the Philanthropist of the Year.

Jason Beyette was honoured as Philanthropist of the Year, in part for his work in spearheading a grow project which saw 160 acres of canola planted with proceeds headed for the Dauphin and District Community Foundation when the crop is eventually sold. Beyette arranged donations of seed and other inputs through Dauphin Consumers Co-op for the crop, as well as agronomy services from 360 Ag Consulting.

Reit-Syd Equipment looked after all the custom spraying, as well as donating two combines to harvest the crop, which was hauled to the elevator by the Michaleski family.

In accepting the award, Beyette said philanthropy does not always have to involve big splashy sums of money, it can be small donations or simple deeds that cumulatively improve the lives of others. And there are a lot of people in the community making a difference, he said.

“We all have a part to contribute to the success of the community,” Beyette said. “I thank everyone for doing their part.”

The foundation also handed out $68,738 in grants to projects identified through their fall intake of applications.

Announced as grant recipients were:
• 2024 Manitoba Summer Games - $15,000 for DRCSS track repairs;
• Creative Common - $10,000 for renovations;
• Citizens On Patrol Program - $2,600 for operations;
• Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club - $2,500 for maintenance equipment;
• Dauphin and District Community Food Bank - $1,620 for storage solutions;
• First Baptist Church - $5,000 for meals on food bank intake days.
• Friends of Dauphin Lake - $15,000 towards purchase of weed harvesting boat;
• Henderson School - $8,918 for climbing wall and Buddy Benches;
• Parkland Humane Society - $1,600 for operations;
• Dauphin Rotary Club - $1,500 for signage; and
• Dauphin Recreation Services - $5,000 as the first installment in a $30,000 grant paid over three years.