Elmwood gets
access to inner city program
back
Representatives of Elmwood are cheering the province’s decision to include the
neighbourhood in an inner city program that has helped other similar
neighbourhoods in the city.
The provincial government announced that Elmwood will soon be eligible to join
the Neighbourhoods Alive! program as part of its March 23 budget announcement.
The program is aimed at giving inner city neighbourhoods more of a say in
determining how they need to rebuild, rehabilitate, and improve the quality of
life in their communities. It works with community organizations, including
schools and businesses, to plan and secure funding for projects.
“I’m ecstatic about it,” said Martin Landy, executive director of the
Elmwood Community Resource Centre and Area Association.
“Elmwood is a sister community to the inner city and we’ve been experiencing all
of the same issues as the other Neighbourhoods Alive! communities.”
Landy said it’s still too early to say exactly what the program will do for
Elmwood, but added there are three main priorities residents want to see
addressed.
“Elmwood is a large neighbourhood with over 17,000 residents living in four
different communities,” he said.
“Now we can gather the neighbourhood together, work together, and start thinking
of Elmwood as more of a whole. Once we do that, then we can focus on housing and
safety, the other two issues I can’t wait to start working on.”
Landy said he hopes ECRCAA becomes a liaison between residents of the
neighbourhood and the Neighbouthoods Alive! program. It’s a role the Point
Douglas Residents Committee has played on the opposite side of the Red River.
“Neighbourhoods Alive! is absolutely a great program,” said Roanna Hepburn,
who chairs the Point Douglas committee.
“We are very dependent on the program so it was great to see the province
increase its funding for Neighbourhoods Alive!”
Hepburn said the program has been tremendously successful in Point Douglas. The
PDRC has used it to fund everything from staff positions to community events;
all created by and for the neighbourhood itself.
“Government is finally recognizing that we have to do it for ourselves,” she
said.
“We have to come together and organize ourselves and get things done. The
government can’t do it for us, but we do need the funding.”
Hepburn said she applauds the province’s efforts to address some of the issues
facing Elmwood, but wants to see the city contribute something as well.
“It makes me wonder why the city isn’t doing more, why Winnipeg’s neighbourhoods
are depending on the province,” she said.
“At least, through Neighbourhoods Alive!, the province has been very
co-operative.”
Elmwood MLA Bill Blaikie said co-operation is the key to making improvements in
the area. He said constituents have made it clear that they want more to be done
in terms of improving the quality of life in the neighbourhood.
“I’ve known for a while there was a need for a program like this in Elmwood,
particularly during the by-election a year ago this week,” he said.
“Knocking on doors, talking to people, it was very clear. It’s about time this
program jumped the river.”
Blaikie said Neighbourhoods Alive! has brought other inner city communities
together and hopes it will be able to do likewise in Elmwood.