Portage

Young entrepreneurs in Portage la Prairie will soon get the chance to turn their ideas into reality at this year’s Kids Biz Camp taking place at Stride Place.

The camp, hosted by Community Futures Heartland, runs July 21st to 25th and is open to children between the ages of 9 and 13.

Ken Reimer, general manager with Community Futures Heartland, says the camp covers the essentials of running a business, including a hands-on sales opportunity at the end of the week.

Portage la Prairie’s Simplot Park is set for some fresh improvements, including a brand-new washroom facility.

The city is moving forward with plans to enhance the popular community space, which already features a skate park and splash pad.

Shay Avramovsky, project manager with the city’s Operations Department, says the new washroom will include both a regular and an accessible stall, aiming to better serve everyone who visits the park.

The skate park portion of the park is finished, but Avramovsky says work continues to improve the surroundings.

Portage la Prairie’s City Hall is opening its doors to newcomers with a special tour aimed at building community connections and providing a behind-the-scenes look at how local government works.

The guided tour takes place Thursday, July 17, from 2 to 3 p.m., and is organized in partnership with the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre.

Mayor Sharilyn Knox says she’s always happy to lead these tours and meet residents who are new to the city.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says the economy is becoming the primary focus of Canada's relationships in the Indo-Pacific — a shift that appears linked to Canada's recent moves to overcome its security dispute with India.

Anand was in Japan and Malaysia this week for her first trip to the region since taking over as foreign minister in May. Her message coming out of that trip was that Canada's foreign policy is shifting — though not abandoning — the priorities set by the previous Liberal government of former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

The Canadian Armed Forces says it's evacuated over a thousand residents of a northern Manitoba community threatened by a wildfire, while towns and villages in the province are welcoming cooler weather they say is helping firefighters.

The military began removing people from Garden Hill First Nation on CC-130 Hercules transport airplanes on Friday, and it says that as of Sunday afternoon, over 1,550 have been flown to Winnipeg.

Summer brings an increase in hair donations to Central Plains Cancer Services as many people, especially young donors, choose to cut their hair in support of those affected by cancer.

Sharilyn Knox, executive director of Central Plains Cancer Services, notes this has become a popular summer activity for young people.

“Especially young people, it’s like their summer thing to do is to cut their hair,” she says. “Often they do it for a reason of, somebody that they love or somebody that they know has battled cancer.”

Melanie Wilson, chairperson of the Seven Regions Health Foundation, says the group’s first-ever “Challenge to Match” campaign has exceeded expectations, raising significantly more than its original target.

“We were hoping to get $500 in total, so $250 from the public and $250 matched by the foundation,” notes Wilson. “But we ended up with a lot more than that, which is wonderful.”

The initiative, launched to fund outings for residents at Gladstone’s Third Crossing Manor personal care home, is already making an impact.

The Department of National Defence is looking at the possibility of complementing its incoming F-35 fleet with uncrewed combat aircraft.

Unclassified documents obtained by The Canadian Press show the department is researching various options for acquiring the emerging technology.

The documents suggest that purchasing a fleet of aerial combat drones that could fly alongside fighter jets could cost as much as $16 billion and would require hundreds of staff.

If you’ve taken a stroll past the cenotaph on Saskatchewan Avenue recently, you may have noticed some fresh construction activity. Wooden forms now surround the monument, marking the latest step in the heartfelt expansion project that is nearly two years in the making.

The project, led by the Portage la Prairie branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, includes two new commemorative stones—one to honour local military members and the other dedicated to Portage-area RCMP officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Crescent Lake remains top of mind for many in Portage la Prairie, and Mayor Sharilyn Knox says the city is actively working to tackle the two main challenges affecting its condition.

Knox says the lake’s declining water quality and weed growth are tied to regulations that are currently out of the city’s hands, though conversations are happening with both federal and provincial departments.