Non-stop summer at Rossbrook House

With temperatures rising above 30 C, it’s prime time for many to get outside and enjoy the best of the heat. However, although the weather offers opportunities for most of us, there are still a many young Winnipeggers who have a more difficult time gaining access to things often taken for granted.

Take the simple act of making an ice cream sundae on a sweltering day, said Patty Mainsville, executive director at Rossbrook House. It’s a small activity for some, but huge for others.

Rossbrook House, located at 658 Ross Ave., is a 24-hour drop-in centre for youth aged six to 24 which operates with the mission that no child should ever be alone — and it certainly doesn’t slow down in the summer.

Every year, right in the middle of summer — the weeks of July 22 and 29 — the not-for-profit is able to take two groups of kids, one for each week, down to Camp Maskwa, also known as Maskwa Project, a reclusive nature reserve near Fort Alexander, Man.

Best feet forward

For what’s now three years, a group of friends have been reaching people citywide in more ways than one.

Run the Peg 100 is a fundraising initiative which sends a group of people — approximately 10 per year — running 100 kilometres across Winnipeg. The trek begins in Assiniboine Park and, following nine pit stops located throughout the city — from Sturgeon Heights to St. Vital — goes full circle and ends up back where it began.

One of the co-founders of the run, Jeff Cheung, lightheartedly calls it a “stupid runner idea.”

“My best friends and I all have our birthdays in July,” Cheung explained, adding that, for a while, they would band up and run the same number of kilometres as the age they were turning that year. The challenge expanded to “How about we run around Winnipeg to celebrate our birthday?” and finally, “How do we make it more meaningful?”

Cycle of giving continues

Jose Castro’s lifelong love of cycling started on Angus Street in Point Douglas. Now, he’s putting that love to good use.

Between July 3 and 5, Castro was among 40 cyclists who took part in Habitat For Humanity’s Spirit of Hope, a long distance, fully supported ride east from Kenora, Ont., through the picturesque landscape of the Lake of the Woods region.

“I was impressed with how much effort everybody puts into creating this ride,“ said Castro, 36. “There’s so much that goes into it. Everybody behind the scenes did such a great job. The food was great, too.”

This year’s fundraising ride, which is designed with beginner and intermediate riders in mind, has raised over $100,000 towards Habitat Manitoba’s project on Pandora Avenue West in Transcona, which will eventually be home to 55 Habitat partner families when it is completed in 2026. According to organizers, the cost to build one Habitat home at the Pandora Avenue West development is over $260,000 (excluding land).

Escaping the heat

Local youngsters cooled off recently at the Park City West spray pad in Transcona, one of the many free-to-use spray pads in Winnipeg.

According to the city, spray pads are open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. until Sept. 2, with some exceptions. For a list of most, but not all spray pads in the city, visit legacy.winnipeg.ca/cms/recreation/facilities/pools/spraypads.stm

Steam locomotive attracts a crowd

Steam locomotive attracts a crowd

Hundreds of train enthusiasts gathered on July 6 at Canadian Pacific-Kansas City (CPKC) railway yard off Jarvis Street The Empress, a 94-year-old steam locomotive, on one of the last legs of its Final Spike Steam Tour.

The tour was organized to commemorate the 2023 merger of the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City railway companies, and encompassed a 14,484-kilometre trip from Calgary to Mexico and back.

Newly restored steam locomotive No. 2816, a 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive built in 1930 and originally assigned to passenger service out of Winnipeg, pulled a short train of passenger cars into the Winnipeg stop, which allowed people to visit a mobile museum exhibit and to climb aboard the locomotive. The locomotive was last in service in 1960.

‘Miniacs’ of Winnipeg unite

They are everywhere. They may be your next door neighbour, a colleague at work or an acquaintance. They are affectionately known as #miniacs and, according to www.mini.ca, there are currently 16 Ming groups across the country that bring these ‘miniacs’ together.

The Winnipeg Mini Owners Club launched in January 2016 and currently has 339 members. Whether one’s passion is for the classic Mini Cooper or a new Countryman, all are welcome.

Get-togethers are an opportunity to talk Minis, compare cars and stories, and then hit the road. And yes, you also get to know the owners.

So, who are some of the local owners you ask?

Every project a challenge for mural artist

Bright, bold and vibrant is how one local artist describes herself, just like her art. Rachel Lancaster is a self-taught artist who specializes in custom creations ranging from original murals to clothing design, and custom colouring books.

“I am inspired by beauty all around me,” Lancaster said. “I am inspired by my client requests and I try to never say no to a project but rather see it as a challenge. I don’t pre-plan a mural ahead of time, instead I just get to a wall and whatever happens, happens.”

Originally from Dugald Man., Lancaster has also spent time living in Charleswood and her murals can be found all around the city, including the Bridge Drive-In on Jubilee Avenue, Osborne Florist (565 Osborne St.), and the back of Angles Hair Design at 241 Lilac St., which is a full floral mural.

“I usually paint in three separate styles – a scenic mural, like a prairie or a forest; ‘pop art’ style’= which is more like a graphic novel style, and full floral walls and/or greenery,” she said.

A special way to celebrate Canada Day

For the most part, I have to say I don’t usually partake in any special Canada Day ceremonies. Years ago, when I lived in northeastern Ontario, I visited Ottawa to see some relatives and was fortunate enough to attend the live ceremonies there, including live concerts and a special address by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

This year, however, I found Canada Day more special because the Charleswood Legion hosted a unique event — the unveiling of a special memorial wall.

To raise funds to maintain the locally famous Sherman tank in front of its building, the Legion created a memorial wall, for which you could purchase a plaque to commemorate a veteran. The tank is from the Fort Garry Horse, an armoured regiment which was formed in Winnipeg in 1912 as a cavalry unit and was one of the first units to land in Normandy on D-Day in 1944. The Legion initially planned to sell 100 plaques but quickly sold out and there is now a waiting list. It also created a memorial book for veterans honoured on the wall.

When I heard about this initiative, I did not hesitate to honour my paternal grandfather, Phillippe Lagasse, who fought in the Second World War. My grandfather, feeling compelled, decided to enlist in the military in 1941, much to the shock of my grandmother, who had a three-year-old son at home and was pregnant with my father. Nevertheless, she supported his efforts, and he spent most of his service in Italy. He witnessed many gruesome sights and experienced trauma for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, in those days you suffered with PTSD in silence. My grandmother told me that he left a happ- go-lucky young man but returned as a very different person. I was too young when he died to ever appreciate what he did for my country and my freedom, so this was my way of paying tribute to him.

Local pet shop a dogged partner to local rescues

When it comes to helping animals, Angeline Fitch means business.

Fitch, a fourth-year animal science student at the University of Manitoba, also owns and operates a local pet supply store. Winnipeg Pet Supply opened its doors in Grant Park Shopping Centre on June 1.

This was a natural move for Fitch, given not only her education but her years of experience working in the pet industry.

“I know what goes into making these products now, as someone who has the nutritional background in animal science. So I know the products, I know how to talk about them, I’m passionate about it and I care about what’s being given to people’s pets. So why not work for myself?” said Fitch.

Running down a dream

To achieve a goal, you need to believe in yourself.

That’s something Jordan Soufi puts into practise each time he steps onto the track to race or into the gym to train. The 23-year-old sprinter from East Kildonan, who races indoors with the University of Manitoba Bisons track and field team and outdoors with Winnipeg Optimist Athletics, recently ran a personal best in the 200 metres and came close to matching his personal best in the 100 metre races while racing against some of the country’s top sprinters at the Canadian national championships and Olympic trials in Montreal, Que., on the last weekend of June.

“Racing against Andre de Grasse was a cool experience,” Soufi said of lining up against the six-time Olympic medalist.

“I never had that kind of pressure before, never raced against that high calibre of competition before. The race itself, I had a pretty good start until about 50. Onwards, I kind of lost my rhythm.”

CMHA is ‘there for people’

Knowing where to go when you need help is essential, and maybe never more so than when it comes to mental health. Consultations with family doctors can result in appointments with a psychiatrist — whose services are covered by Manitoba Health — or private practice therapists, counsellors or psychologists, whose services may require the payment of fees through private or group insurance plans or by the patients themselves.

Going online to find resources is a good alternative. The Canadian Mental Health Association of Manitoba and Winnipeg’s Service Navigation Hub provides an overview of the services available to those seeking help.

“When people go to our website they will have the opportunity to find their region of Manitoba,” said Stephen Sutherland, fund development manager of CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg. “As they look at the programs and services, we encourage people to connect to our service navigation program, where our recovery specialists are equipped to listen and determine possible next steps within our programs and services. In the event that there is not a fit at CMHA, we know that there is something with our long list of community partners.”

Sutherland notes that Manitobans face worrying levels of stress, anxiety, and loneliness, heightened by social inequality, an affordability crisis, ongoing climate concerns and food security.

Numbers you should know — 211 and 988

There are two potentially life-saving phone numbers that every Manitoban should have memorized, written on their fridge, or highlighted in their phones – the 211 mental health line and the 988 suicide crisis helpline.

211 Manitoba accesses community-based government, health and social services designed to meet the needs of diverse demographics. It’s free and confidential, available 24/7 in over 200 languages, including four Indigenous languages. Managed by United Way Winnipeg and guided by a province-wide volunteer advisory committee – with support from the Province of Manitoba, Manitoban United Ways, funding partners and donors – 211 is available to everyone.

Anyone in crisis with thoughts of suicide or who is worried about someone else can access assistance free of charge from the 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline, a national telephone and text suicide prevention and support service that provides culturally affirming suicide prevention services, offers access to online resources, local helplines and crisis resources across Canada. 988 is a partnership of government and community agencies led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

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Strength in the face of adversity

Kate Paukovic is a 17-year-old student about to start Grade 12 at Dakota Collegiate.

Kate has a lot of fun playing sports but there’s one she prefers above all.

“I like to play soccer, volleyball, and basketball (but) my favourite sport is soccer. It’s the sport I have played the longest and I honestly can’t imagine my life without it,” she said.

Kate said she appreciates the companionship and competitive nature of team sports.

Misericordia to house minor injury, illness clinic

Our NDP government is taking another step forward in rebuilding health care in Manitoba.

I am pleased to inform you that we will be opening two new minor injury and illness clinics. One at the Grace Hospital and the other at the former Misericordia Urgent Care Centre. This is part of the effort to enhance the health-care system by improving access to essential health care and services.

As promised, we are following through on the commitment we made to Manitobans, which is better, faster quality care. This means making investments in primary care and providing more options for non-emergency health care.

I am happy to say that constituents of Union Station will also benefit from these new clinics, especially the new one at the Misericordia Health Centre. As minister of health I along with my colleagues, believe that Manitobans deserve the best care at the earliest convenience possible. These new locations will address minor ailments, cast, stitch, diagnose and test, which will ensure Manitobans get access to the most appropriate primary care closer to home.