Portage la Prairie MLA Jeff Bereza recently recognized the Koko Platz Community Club’s power to bounce back and rebuild during a Private Member’s Statement in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. The club, a longstanding local favourite gathering place, was destroyed by a fire in 2021 but has since been rebuilt through grassroots fundraising led by younger generations.
Fire sparks new generation of leadership
Bereza emphasizes the significance of the community’s response. “The Koko Platz has always been in Portage la Prairie for a long period of time,” he notes. A group of younger residents, many with multi-generational ties to the club, spearheaded efforts to rebuild. “There was a group of younger people, a little younger than me, that got involved in fundraising to make sure we were going to be able to build this thing again,” he says.
Committee blends legacy and fresh perspectives
Key contributors included Julene Toews-Dewis, Colby Orchard, Caitlin Coates, Brandwyn Kinnear, Tanner Waldvogel, Sara Proctor and others. “I don’t want to leave anybody from that committee out, but the committee came together,” Bereza adds. The rebuilt facility, he explains, will serve broader community needs. “It’s just going to be a beautiful facility that is going to be used for a lot more things.”
Standing ovation underscores bipartisan support
Bereza praised the collaborative spirit during the legislative recognition. “I love to see people like that come into the legislative building, and I like to see everybody united,” he continues. The club’s representatives received a rare bipartisan standing ovation. “The Koko Platz Community Club received a standing ovation that day from all of us.”
Reflecting on the achievement, Bereza stresses the broader impact. “They’ve not only redone that Koko Platz rink but made our community a much better place.”
