2 weeks Ago By By Michele McDougall
Brandon’s Park Community Centre will receive $6 million in provincial funding toward a redevelopment project that will include a licensed, non-profit child-care facility with 62 new spaces. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
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Brandon’s Park Community Centre will receive $6 million in provincial funding toward a redevelopment project that will include a licensed, non-profit child-care facility with 62 new spaces. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Brandon’s Park Community Centre will receive $6 million in provincial funding toward a redevelopment project that will include a licensed, non-profit child-care facility with 62 new spaces. Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard made the announcement during a news conference in the community centre on Thursday morning, surrounded by Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett, the centre’s board members and the child-care provider.
“Over the past year, our government has continued to work with our partners in the City of Brandon and the Brandon YMCA to set down the foundation and planning for this redevelopment,” said Simard, who is the MLA for Brandon East. Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard (Brandon East) announces $6 million toward the construction of a new Park Community Centre and non-profit child-care facility in Brandon on Thursday morning. Around him are Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett (right) and representatives of the community centre’s board and the child-care provider.
(Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) “Today’s announcement gets us closer to the goal of providing Brandon with services its families are looking for.” Fawcett thanked the board members for getting engaged and “championing” the daycare and community centre. “We continue to work with the province and other partners to make sure this does get to fruition, and then we will have ongoing discussions with other community centres,” Fawcett said.
“We do like the idea of daycares attached to them, but there’s cost to that, and that’s partly been the reason why this has taken so long,” he said. Thursday’s announcement was news that Eldon Schmitz said he and the rest of the community centre board members have been waiting to hear for the last six years. “I am absolutely very, very happy,” Schmitz said.
“It’s the whole sticker shock that the centre is fully funded along with the daycare centre.” The NDP, he added, “committed two years ago that this is going to happen, so we’re confident it’s going to move ahead and happen soon.” In 2023, Park Community Centre got a $1-million commitment from NDP leader and eventual Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who promised to rebuild the community centre, including space for a daycare, should he get elected.
That pledge came after Brandon City Council made the decision in February of that year to commit $1.2 million toward the construction of a new facility. The community centre has been the focus of much discussion in Brandon council chambers since 2018.
It has been tagged for demolition with plans to replace it with a greenspace, and slated for renovation at a cost upwards of $700,000. Simard said the province’s $6-million investment in the new community centre demonstrates “a really strong commitment to get this thing done.” (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) After Kinew was elected, discussions continued about the daycare, including consultations with YMCA as a provider.
In November 2024, the city sent a package of information to the provincial government regarding design specifications and potential cost estimates for both the community centre and daycare portions of the project. It also included information relating to the demolition of the current structure. The plans that were on display Thursday included architectural drawings of an L-shaped building with the new community centre to be connected to the daycare centre, but no access door.
There will also be greenspace out front and a children’s play area. While no timeline was released on demolition or construction, Brandon YMCA CEO Lon Cullen said it’s needed soon, adding there is a child-care desert in the city’s downtown. “There will be spaces for infants, toddlers and preschoolers with a design that is more residential in appearance, because we wanted something that is in keeping with the neighbourhood,” Cullen said.
“And we’ll be highlighting the infant program, because we have huge, massive waiting lists. The staffing complement is about 15 to 20 and we want to try to cook our own meals. “And we’ll be a fully accessible facility with ramps, because we want to be inclusive,” he said.
When Simard announced the $6 million in funding, Schmitz said he was expecting to hear an amount of $8 million, given he had heard from the province that the total project cost was just over $9 million. Schmitz surmised that adding the province’s funding to the city’s of $1.2 million added up to $7.
2 million, which meant a shortfall of about $2 million. The Park Community Centre on Louise Avenue and 15th Street in Brandon. No timeline was released Thursday on construction of the redeveloped facility.
(Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files) “But we’re not privy to all the ins and outs of the financial part,” said Schmitz, “and somewhere along the way they’ll figure it out. We’re just encouraged and so very happy.” When questioned by the Sun about the difference in funding, Simard said he is committed to getting Park Community Center built, so Brandon has the recreation and child-care services it needs.
“We’ve put in the $6 million that is showing a really strong commitment to get this thing done,” Simard said. “We have strong partners with the city and with the YMCA who helped us work on this, and we’re making sure that we just don’t get to the finish line, but that we blow past it.” » mmcdougall@brandonsun.
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