Pam Fedack

The City of Winkler has decided on a new location for the community's dog park.
    
Due to the expansion at the water treatment plant, the old park north of Highway 14 was closed.

"Once we knew there was a water treatment plant expansion on the horizon, we knew it could impact our dog park," said Jordan Driedger, Director of Community Services for the City of Winkler. In anticipation of a possible move, around two years ago the city formed a committee that included dog park users and people dedicated to the former dog park.

The City of Winkler has awarded the tender for the repairs and upgrades to a section of North Railway Street.
    
Mayor Henry Siemens said this project is important for the city. He says they were hoping to get the work done last year, unfortunately, it did not work in the budget and was postponed a year.

This year, Siemens says they adjusted the plan and re-tendred it. and very surprisingly for a construction project, he said it came in under budget.

"So that was exciting already, to start," shared Siemens.

A grant from the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba will allow Winkler's Parkland Elementary School to enhance its breakfast program. In late March, the K- 8 school received a nutrition grant of $4,450.
    
Principal Mandy Friesen says the funds will allow them to provide more options to their students. Until now, food for the school's breakfast program has come through Central Station's food rescue program giving them the ability to make toast every morning for breakfast.

The CW Wiebe Medical Centre in Winkler will welcome a new executive director on May 1st.

In a media release sent to PembinaValleyOnline.com, the Physicians and Staff of the Clinic said they're excited to welcome Karen-Denise Cyr to their team!

Your opportunity with Food for All to help restock the shelves of local food banks, in partnership with Co-op grocery stores in Carman, Altona, Morden and Winkler, begins Thursday (April 18th).

Each Thursday, over the coming weeks, Golden West radio announcers will be spending time on location in each community's respective food store.

Each morning, students and staff walking into Winkler's Garden Valley Collegiate are greeted by something special, smiling faces ready to welcome them to the day with conversation and offer them a healthy breakfast.
    
A recent grant of $20 thousand from the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba will continue to help drive this program.
    

The City of Winkler gave 1st reading last week to a borrowing by-law for the anticipated rehabilitation and improvement project at the Centennial Arena.

City Council has been planning for and working towards this project for several years.

"When we finished the Meridian Exhibition Centre, the new sheet of ice, before that, we were hoping to have a bigger arena built then," shared Deputy Mayor Andrew Froese. He said the city couldn't afford a larger arena at that time. 

The City of Winkler passed a resolution this week approving the final budget for the start of construction of the long-awaited wastewater facility.
    
Deputy Mayor Andrew Froese says the tender has been awarded to Penn-Co Construction. "We are excited to get that thing started. It's been a long time in the making," stated Froese. 

Youth for Christ in Morden is planning to transform an area of greenspace adjacent to its building behind their back lane - and they intend to use a recent grant for the initiative.
    
Last month, the nonprofit organization received $7,100 from the United Way Pembina Valley.

For the first time, Watersheds Canada will be bringing their Natural Edge Shoreland Naturalization Program to Manitoba. And it will benefit the Boyne River keepers.
    
Watersheds Canada, a non-profit, charitable organization was approved for $38,000 in funding from the Manitoba Habitat Conservancy through its conservation trust.

Chloe Lajoie is the National Conservation Director of the nonprofit charitable organization.