City awards renovation grants to 19 community centres

The Vince Leah Recreation Centre is among the 19 Winnipeg community centres receiving grant money. (Source: Glen Pismenny, CTV News)

Community centres across Winnipeg will be able to make some much-needed upgrades thanks to money from a city grant program.

The City of Winnipeg announced Wednesday that 19 community centres will receive funding for renovations through the Community Centre Renovation Grant Program (CCRGP).

"Whether it's improving accessibility, upgrading recreation facilities, or enhancing safety measures, the grants that are announced today will contribute to the ongoing success of these community centres," said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The program began in 2012, providing community centres funding for facility repairs, upgrades, retrofits, safety improvements, and renovation projects. Since the program's inception, the city has put more than $15.7 million towards community centre renovations across Winnipeg.

Gillingham said though the money is needed, the work couldn't be done without the help of volunteers.

"These funds really equip those volunteers to make improvements in your local community centre, so that the programs that so many families depend upon can run and operate successfully."

The program has two intake periods each year, a spring intake in March and a fall intake in October. Community centres must apply for funding, providing details and estimates on how the money will be spent.

This spring, 19 of the 63 city-owned community centres received grants totalling $1,259,466:

• Bord-Aire

• Champlain

• Deer Lodge

• East Elmwood

• Gateway

• Glenwood

• Morse Place

• North Kildonan

• Northwood

• Norwood

• Park City West

• Robert A. Steen

• Southdale

• Sturgeon Heights

• Tyndall Park

• Valley Gardens

• Vince Leah

• Whyte Ridge

• Wildwood

The announcement was made at the Gateway Recreation Centre, which is using the $100,000 it's receiving to buy new ice-making equipment.

"The generous grant from the City of Winnipeg renovation grant program will allow Gateway Rec Centre to provide all user groups with quality ice," said Len Fabris, president of the Gateway Recreation Centre. "You can see behind us, that’s quality ice. We want to keep it that way 12 months a year and for many years to come."

Fabris said they would not be able to make the improvements without grant money.

"We don’t have the necessary funds and that amount of money to upkeep the facility, so these funds are gratefully accepted," he said.

The grants are coordinated with the help of the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres (GCWCC). Executive director Lora Maseman said the funding has become an integral part of community centre operations.

"This community centre renovation fund grant has been instrumental in providing community centres with much-needed improvements to the facilities," Maseman said.

She added they are already looking ahead to the next round of applications.

"We know there are other community centres out there working on new applications for the fall intake so we look forward to collaborating with community centres in the future."

Maseman said the money will be used on new windows and doors to improve energy efficiency, on new safety measures such as lighting and security cameras, and on improvements to programmable spaces.

"We know that getting to this point today is a process and a journey, one that should be celebrated," she said.