With more than 800 students attending a school designed for 250, new education facilities were more than a ‘want” for the community of Ebb and Flow, it was an absolute necessity.

And efforts to relieve that educational pressure took a huge step forward, Apr. 21, when the community broke ground on a $55 million project which will see the construction of a new Kindergarten to Grade 6 school, renovation of the community’s existing school for Grades 7 to 12 classrooms and the construction of 23 new teacherages to house school staff.

“We talk about the kids that are here and we talk about the kids that are not born yet. We have to think about that. That’s the way the elders used to think a long time ago. We have to think about our kids. What are they going to have when they grow up, what are their grandkids or great grandkids going to have,” Chief Wayne Desjarlais said during a ceremony to break ground on the project. “The school is going to be built, we’re going to start it. We have the construction crews, as you can see the material around the community and the equipment it’s going to be done right here. We’re going to have local people working.”

Speaking directly to students gathered at the ceremony, Chief Desjarlais stressed how lucky they are to be getting such top-notch educational facilities.

“I know you’re too young to think about this right now, but most of you will have kids and your kids are going to go to school here,” he said. “So we have to take care of the schools that we’re going to have. We’re going to have to take care of the teachers.”

Desjarlais added he is pleased to see the years long journey toward a new school coming to an end.

“Many years ago our first school was made for 250 students. We passed that mark probably within the first five or six years after the school was finished in 1983,” he said. “Today we have close to 800 students. We have more students in Ebb and Flow School than five schools in Turtle River (School Division). So that’s why we’re getting a new school for the elementary grades.

”The budget has earmarked $30 million for construction of the new facility and $7 million for development of the teacherages with the remainder destined for renovations at the existing school. A project of that size takes a considerable amount of time and effort to get off the ground", said Praneeth Cherukuri, a senior engineer of Infrastructure and Housing Professional and Technical Services with Indigenous Services Canada.

“It’s been five years. It may seem like a long time, but to build a big school and then do a renovation to the existing school it is a big task and we need a good team in place. So to gather all the team and have all the funding in place, that’s unfortunately how long it takes,” he said. “Soon, before you know it, you’ll have a new school here and the old school will be like another new school and you’ll have teachers here. So this whole area will be hustling and bustling and I truly think this whole educational complex will be a shining example for what can be done in a First Nation and I do think it will be one of the best schools in Manitoba once it’s done. We didn’t leave any stone unturned.”

Part of what makes the new school special is when viewed from overhead the building is shaped like an eagle with its wings, a symbol of love in Indigenous cultures’ seven sacred teachings.

Seeing the vision come to life is exciting said Victor Kolynchuk of Architecture 49, who designed the new school.

“We’ve been on this project for five years to get here where we are here today. It’s a big achievement, but there’s yet an even bigger achievement over the next two years to construct the school,” Kolynchuk said. “I believe in education. Education is powerful, it has the power to elevate individuals, communities and cultures. So this is your opportunity two years from now to take advantage of this opportunity to increase your power and maintain your culture and work together with your children that have yet to come.”

Construction is set to begin immediately and the project is expected to take two years to complete, said project manager Phil Cesario of PM Associates, who act as project manager. The project, he said, offers tremendous opportunity for community involvement.

“We’re going to be making a lot of noise and mess for the next two years, but the end result will definitely be worth it,” Cesario said. “There’ll be lots of opportunities for the community to participate in terms of labour work, but even for the students, there’ll be lots of opportunities in the building for artwork to truly make this school your own and we look forward to sharing those opportunities with you. I’m looking forward to the ribbon cutting ceremony two years from now.”

Getting the community to that point is NDL Consruction, a Winnipeg-based company with experience working in northern and First Nations communities. Company president Peter Barg said his team is excited by the opportunity to bring the community’s vision to life.

“Not only are we excited to build a beautiful building which the architects have designed and to work with this team, but we love working in northern and First Nation communities,” he said. “It’s not just about building a big building or a beautiful building and doing business. Yes, those are wonderful things, but bringing integrity and trust and respect to that process is something that we value as a family-owned business and we’re looking very forward to working with your community with your chief, council and the workers that are going to be coming from this community.”

The local committee formed to celebrate Manitoba’s 150th birthday is gearing up to celebrate this summer.

The “Roblin Celebrates Manitoba 150” Committee was planning a Doc Walker concert for the summer of 2020 but the pandemic forced the cancellation of that event.

Check this week's Review for more!

A locally talented artist from Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve (TTR) is having her artwork recognized on so many different levels.

Recently the Southern Chiefs’ Organization acknowledged Sikwun Reign Lynxleg as a talented multi-media artist.

More in this week's Roblin Review!

The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) has confirmed the presence of avian influenza in two different wild bird samples in Manitoba.

Samples from several snow geese were collected in southwestern Manitoba near Waskada and a single sample from a bald eagle was collected in the Dauphin area.

There's more in this week's Roblin Review!

Despite a year of challenges and changes, 2021 was another successful year for Fusion Credit Union.

Fusion held its annual general meeting  – live in Roblin  and online in Brandon, Dauphin and Hamiota – to reflect on the past year and to celebrate its “outstanding performance”, in the words of CEO Darwin Johns.

Check this week's Roblin Review for more!

A spring craft sale was held at the Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre on Saturday (April 16) with a number of vendors coming out to showcase their wares to the many customers who came through the door.

The North Western Marquette Festival held its first Festival session since March of 2020 on March 22, 2022.

As is the way with Murphy’s Law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong) when the committee and dance schools finally found their way through the COVID complications to hold the Dance portion of the NWMF, weather interfered on the scheduled date of March 8th and the Dance Festival was re-scheduled for March 22.

With the co-operation of everyone involved, the afternoon of March 22 turned into a beautiful afternoon of dance! 19 dance classes were adjudicated by the wonderful and talented Tamara Hicks of Brandon.

The awards of the day went to:

Outstanding Solo Performance: Brenna Dalman
Outstanding Group/Duo Performance Ages 12 and under: Wade Dance Centre with “Lovely”
Outstanding Group/Duo Performance Ages 18 and under: Wade Dance Centre with “Help”
Most Promising Solo Performer: Mya Bonchuk
Most Promising Group/Duo Ages 12 and under: Wade Dance Centre with “Breakin’ Dishes”
Most Promising Group/Duo Ages 18 and under: Wade Dance Centre with “3326”

The NWMF committee so appreciates everyone who made this small but wonderful Festival a success. First, and most importantly because these two women are passionate instructors of dance in our communities, Belva Zentner and Giny Hillman.

Read the full story in this week's Russell Banner!

Thanks to the efforts of so many volunteers, A Dinner for Ukraine - a cooperative effort between Westman Immigration Services, the Rossburn Ukrainian Catholic Pastoral District and the Russell Silverton United Church - raised an astounding $90,000.

The money raised will go to the Canada -Ukraine Foundation to help directly with humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

One of the most touching parts of the stellar evening came when MC Len Derkach brought up his longtime friend Jim Cote - an elder and longtime council member from Waywayseecappo First Nation - who presented Olga Stronko and her two children with a Star Blanket from the First Nation. Like so many, Olga and her children have escaped the war in Ukraine and come to live in Binscarth.

As she waits, she’s with her brother Oleksandr Rusiaieva (also in the picture) his wife Nataliia and their baby daughter Sofia.

Star Blankets are among the highest honor in the indigenous culture given as a sign of respect, friendship and protection.

Check this week's Russell Banner for lots more!

Several members of the Grand Plains Gymcats gymnastics club competed at the 2022 Manitoba Gymnastics Association Provincial Championships, Apr. 8 to 10, in Winnipeg.

Bethany Lark placed first overall in the Level 3 - 2008 category. She placed first in the vault with a score of 9.3, first in the uneven bars with a score of 8.7 and she was tied for first in the beam with a score of 8.95. Lark also finished fifth in the floor exercise with an 8.3 to give her an overall score of 35.250, winning the gold by .200 over runner-up Hannah Caslor of Southport.

Teammates Lauren Scott and Meadow Vigini tied for sixth place in the Level 2 - 2010 Group B category.

Scott was first in the beam with a score of 9.4 and she tied for third in the floor exercise with a 9.3. She placed seventh in the vault with an 8.975 and eighth in the uneven bars with an 8.5, giving her an overall score of 36.075.

Vigini’s 9.225 put her on top of the uneven bars and she tied for fifth place in the beam with an 8.8 and the floor exercise with a 0.1. Vigini also scored a 8.95 on the vault to place eight. She also had an overall score of 36.075.

Competing in the Level 2 - 2007-08 group, Jessica White finished sixth, with an overall score of 34.375. Her best event was the floor excercise, where she finished third with a 9.125.

White was fifth in the beam with an 8.65, sixth in the uneven bars with a 7.9 and seventh in the vault with an 8.7.

Calista Ward finished seventh overall in the Level 2 - 2009 group. Ward was fifth in the uneven bars with a 7.975 and tied for fifth in the vault with a 9.025. She was seventh in the beam with an 8.65 and the floor exercise with an 8.575, giving her an overall score of 34.225.

Rachel Hannibal finished 11th in the Level 4 - 2208 Group A category with an overall score of 32.875. Her top event was the vault where she tied for fifth with an 8.65. Hannibal was sixth in the uneven bars with a 7.275 and in the beam with an 8.5. She tied for sixth in the floor exercise with an 8.45.

In the Level 2 - 2010 Group A category, Heather Nadolny finished 13th overall.

Nadolny was third in the uneven bars with an 8.8 and she scored an 8.75 to place sixth in the floor exercise. Nadolny’s 8.925 score in the vault placed her seventh and she was eighth in the beam with an 8.45.

Emery Laviolette, competing in the Level 2 - 2011 Group A event, finished 19th, with an overall score of 33.875.

Laviolette was sixth in the vault with a 9.075 and in the beam with an 8.75. She placed eighth in the uneven bars with a 7.55 and in the floor exercise with an 8.5.

The City of Dauphin will have up to an extra $75,000 to spend on active transportation infrastructure this year thanks to a Trails Manitoba grant.

Director of Public Works and Operations Mike VanAlstyne said the grant, secured through the rural stream of the program, is a two-to-one cost share agreement.

“So we would have to spend $150,000,” he said, adding the money will be allocated to projects planned for this year including expanding the trail system to include Assiniboine Community College (ACC) Parkland Campus “To provide access for them to a safe multi-use trail system.”

Plans are also in place to extend the First Avenue South trail to Second Street Southwest, VanAlstyne added.

The Trails Grant for Manitoba is an annual grant intended for trail associations, municipalities, or other not-for-profit groups, that have the means to provide continued stewardship of trails. The aim of the program is to provide new recreational trail opportunities which includes extending or improving existing trails, developing new trails, and addressing trail gaps and barriers. It also aims to improve the quality of an existing recreational trail network or the user’s experience including safety improvements, signage, way finding, and barriers to access. Funds can also be used for maintenance of a recreational trail network, including pruning, repairing holes, trail beautification, normal erosion/drainage repairs, clean-up, usual repairs to signage, barriers, fencing, surfacing and other maintenance tasks that are undertaken for upkeep of a trail.

Given those parameters, VanAlstyne expects the City will utilize the entire $75,000.

“We’re going to be close with our current plans. The trail will include some signage and some furnishings such as benches and maybe some planters along the way,” he said. “As well, the ACC trail will include some solar lighting and pathway lighting, because it is off the roadway, just to make it safer and more visible. It definitely allows us to add some more features.”

City council authorized the signing of the grant agreement at its Apr. 11 regular meeting.