Point Douglas Community News
Vol. 9 *  Issue 1 * January / February 2011

Inside this issue

Just a Stone's Throw Away ...

by Mary Mathias and Valerie Himkowski

Thank you to Ross Eadie, the newly elected Councillor for the Mynarski Ward, for his generous financial support for The Point Community News and look for his ad in upcoming issues of ‘The Point’

All of us here at The Point Community News hope you had a joyous holiday season and a wondrous New Year!  ♦

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By Mary Mathias and Valerie Himkowski 

Two of Sam's Place's friendly staff: L-Herta Neufeld; R-Jennifer Dijk

Picture yourself enjoying a bowl of homemade soup or a cup of real hot chocolate while relaxing in a plush chair in a peaceful atmosphere. If this sounds inviting, be sure and make your way to Sam’s Place at 159 Henderson Highway—just a stone’s throw away from our Point Douglas neighbourhood. 

Sam’s features delicious lunch dishes, fair trade coffee, specialty coffees and teas, and tempting baked goods made on-site. Lunch is served from 11 am to 1 pm and the menu, posted on a chalkboard, changes every season.

The fall menu included vegetarian chili, Moroccan chick pea stew, two soups, a roasted red pepper and chicken sandwich, and an excellent salad. Whole grain flax bread, baked on site, is served with the meals. Portions are generous and prices very reasonable.  

Sam’s Place is about much more than food. A sign posted near the entry reads:  Sam’s Place is a non-profit project operated by volunteers in support of the Mennonite Central Committee and its work locally and around the world. The walls are lined with shelves containing a well-organized collection of used books for sale. Free Wi-Fi is also available.

A prominent feature of the large space is a stage where local musicians perform, usually on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Open mike takes place on Thursday evenings. Once a month, a film is shown followed by discussion.

A new feature at Sam’s is Children’s Hour every Saturday morning from 10:00-11:00. Storytellers encourage children to explore new worlds, and kids who come receive a free book to read that can be exchanged the following week for a new one. ♦

Sam’s Place, 159 Henderson Hwy, ph: (204) 415-4728, www.samsplacebooks.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 am-10pm

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Read more at Food For Thought - Eat, Drink, and be Merry!

By Nancy Dyck, Principal

In the spring of 2010 we completed a renovation of our Parent Room here at Norquay School. With the assistance of Ms. Tracy Jorgensen, a parent and a designer by training, we aimed to create a space that was comfortable, adult focussed, and parent friendly.

We wanted our parents to feel like they had a space that was just for them; a place where they could meet, have coffee, relax, learn more about our school and community, and have access to some basic resources.

With those goals in mind, we also knew that parents often have pre-school-aged children with them and we needed to make sure that the space was comfortable if childcare was required. After surveying parents, we knew that they also wanted to have support for such things as job and education searches, a housing registry, opportunities for making crafts, learning about nutrition, family budgeting, and access to a phone and the internet.

Tracey provided us with some sketches and a floor plan that incorporated various areas within the room that would serve the needs of our community. We purchased some new furniture and set about revamping a once- cluttered space into a light and airy resource for parents.

When you first enter the room, a leather love seat and matching chairs is most likely to catch your eye. The coffee stand is not far away, and most mornings you will now find a mom or dad reading the local newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee after having dropped their children off for school.

The large bulletin boards help share information on housing, education, employment and healthy living. Parents have full access to a computer with internet, a fax machine, telephone, and the help of our community support workers Marlene Wood and Nicole Braun. We try to keep up to date with current events and local community happenings and resources so that we can share this with our parents.

The new parent room also offers special events such as nutrition bingo, craft afternoons, special presentations given by our reading clinician, health care information, and many other opportunities for interacting with other parents or staff. We want our parents to not only feel welcome in our school but to be able to access essential resources in order to best provide for their families. In the end, our goal is to forge a strong relationship with our parents so we can all work together for the success of the children.

Support for our parent room and community workers comes from a Community Schools Partnership Initiative (CSPI) grant. Also, we use some of our Lafarge money to help with programming for our families and to make our school an even more beautiful place.

We know that our community wants their school to be the very best! We are so happy to be able to work within such a great community! Please feel welcome to drop by for a coffee and see our parent room!  ♦

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Join an exciting neighbourhood group that gets things done!             

By Chris Burrows         

There have been many people who have worked with SISTARS (Sisters Initiating Steps Toward A Renewed Society) over the years. Two of the present board, Sandy Dzedzora and Angel Peterson, have been with SISTARS since it began. The last couple of years have needed a lot of our attention and many meetings as we moved through the planning, funding and building of the Early Education Centre.

While nobody on the board is quite as old as the Barber House, four of us are already elders or senior citizens. We really need to find some younger enthusiastic people who can help to continue the work of SISTARS in our community.

Even though we bill ourselves as “Sisters” we do in fact have quite a few Misters who are members and one is on the board. It costs just a loonie to become a member of SISTARS. If you are interested please call our secretary Angel at 942-1904 or e-mail her at angel5@mymts.net.

I think we can safely say that from now on being a SISTARS member or a board member is going to be much easier. It will probably mean one meeting a month for SISTARS board members and as a regular member being asked occasionally to volunteer some time. We always need at least two parents from the childcare on the board to bring their point of view. We like to find members who live in Point Douglas, but if you care about the neighbourhood we welcome you from wherever.

Our dear old Barber House, now owned by SISTARS, is having a serious makeover. The outside will look like it did in the early years after it was built instead of a bedraggled old hulk. Barber House will be another historical attraction in Point Douglas, and the inside will be adapted to make it a cosy drop-in centre for Point Douglas seniors. Renovation is in full swing, and we are looking at March as a completion date.  ♦

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By Angel Peterson

The progress on the new Eagle Wing Early Education Centre has been steady. Sod was put down before the snow. Doors and windows are in, and the inner walls are up. Painting, flooring, and cupboards will be done fairly soon. The stucco will have to wait until spring. The cost estimate for construction came in under budget, enabling us to have a cushion for the many unforeseen little changes and additions that crop up here and there as the construction progresses. Two extras that will benefit the daycare are having outlets for staff cars in the parking lot and fencing the whole daycare area including the smaller play yard.  This play yard has figure eight pathways and will have various shrubs and a little bridge to cross. It will be a delightful place to play. End of January is the projected move in!  ♦

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 By Sel Burrows 

It’s been a busy time for the North Point Douglas Seniors, or ‘Seniors with Attitude’. Our fabulous Point Douglas arm wrestler, Will Frame, returned from the World Arm Wrestling Championships having placed 6^th out of 54 countries. Way to go, Will! Thanks to all the groups who sponsored Will’s trip to the Worlds: Manitoba Sports Federation, Councillor Ross Eadie, Trappers Trucking, Dr. Michael, Anonymous, and our own Seniors With Attitude.

Thanks to The Manitoba Liquor Commission we were able to take a bus load of seniors and kids from Winnipeg Aboriginal Sports Achievement Centre to a Bomber game. Unfortunately the Bombers couldn’t come up with a win. The Seniors sponsored a Grey Cup party at 817 Main and purchased Christmas trees and decorations for the lounge. We thank Gord Grisdale, President of the 817 Main Tenants Advisory Council, who was our partner in these events. Our contribution to good health is the purchase of a treadmill and exercise bicycle which will be set up in the lounge of 817 Main. Vince Sansregret from the WRHA is arranging for training and exercise classes.

Our intrepid Rob Forbes has had to cut back the food delivery a bit due to the cold. However there are reports of much enjoyment of grapes and other fine fruit by the seniors that he was able to get to. Glen Ayres has volunteered to be Rob’s helper in getting the healthy food out. Speaking to some of the seniors who received the food, they really appreciated it.

The Seniors Association also participated in sorting and distribution with Share the Warmth. Some of the warm clothing was very high quality, and a few of our seniors are sporting top of the line jackets and gloves. It was great watching the kids from Norquay School sort the clothes along with teachers and seniors. Many thanks to the Residents Committee and the Women’s Centre for organizing Share the Warmth with Manitoba Hydro.

We have hired Point Research to assist in identifying where our seniors live. If you are over 55 or know someone who is over 55 who hasn’t been surveyed call Heather Geddie at 801-3086. Heather has also set up our association web site and trained a volunteer senior in how to update it. Our senior webmaster is now making changes to the website and hoping she doesn’t erase it all. Check out http://www.pointdouglasseniors.org.

At our last monthly meeting two more seniors, Glen Ayres and Terry Dzedora, were added to the Board of Directors. Terry our Aboriginal Elder, who just had his 65^th Birthday, is our youngest board member. The work on Barber House is moving along very rapidly, and the hope is to open it as a seniors centre in May. Thanks to the Winnipeg Foundation, the North Point Douglas Seniors Association will be hiring a part-time activity coordinator to assist the volunteer-driven group in getting more activities going. We hope to provide different types of programs at 817 Main, Barber House, and perhaps Norquay Community Centre.  ♦

Here are a few photos of the development of the new library at 817 Main, a joint project of NPDSA and Minister Christine Melnick and her Share the Magic community library program. The grand opening of the library was held January 2nd.

Margaret Chaboyer, Rob Forbes, and Gord Grisdale help sort over 2,500 donated library books	Some of the folks from the Vineyard across Main St. helped sort and label the books. They call themselves 'The Flatlanders'.	A picture speaks a thousand words. A happy resident lost in a good book, minutes after the grand opening of the Share the Magic library

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By Chris McCarville 

We are all thinking of the family and friends of Nathaniel Thorassie during this difficult time. We appreciate the efforts of the police, search and rescue teams, and Kole Devisscher, who risked his own life to save Nathaniel’s brother Ralph. We would also like to thank David Delorme and the divers who continued to search after the police search concluded and the Point Douglas residents who provided food and coffee to those divers.   

5-year Housing Plan Open House

During the past few months, PDRC has been holding sessions to gather feedback from renters, homeowners, and landlords on current housing issues. The new five-year plan provides a roadmap for government departments working on housing issues in Point Douglas. Please join us on Tuesday, January 18 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at St. Andrews Ukrainian Catholic Parish Hall – 174 Maple St. N. This is a drop in event and refreshments will be provided. 

Special Meeting of the Point Douglas Residents Committee

The board has decided to use a new auditor who has more experience dealing with non-profit organizations. Since the auditor is appointed at our AGM in April, we need to have a special meeting to appoint the new auditor. This will be part of the Housing Plan Open House on Tuesday, January 18. Please help us get quorum by coming at 5:00 pm. It will only take a few minutes to pass the motion, and it will give you a chance to check out the  housing plan at the same time. See you at St. Andrews Ukrainian Catholic Parish Hall – 174 Maple St. N at 5:00 pm 

Strategic Planning Session

For the first time ever, the PDRC is taking part in a formal strategic planning process. We need to hear from you to find out what you think we should be doing in the community. Your ideas will be used to develop our plan, which will guide our work for the next three years. The community consultation will take place on Saturday, February 5 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. Those who attend the entire event will be thanked with a large pizza they can take home to their family. Please register to attend by calling PDRC at 927-3827 or emailing pdrc@pointdouglas.ca or signing up at the NPD Women's Centre. Child minding is available, but you must let us know you need it. The location is still being decided. Watch your mailbox for more information. Please consider joining us. Your input is important to the development of a great plan for Point Douglas. 

Share the Warmth

PDRC and the NPD Women’s Centre are partnering with Manitoba Hydro and other businesses to provide warm clothing to seven agencies.

We have had two sorting days: one with volunteers from The Welcome Home and one with children from Norquay School and the PD Seniors Association.

It is great fun to see how much clothing has been donated so far and to give it out to those who need it most. So far we have given out:

24 pairs of boots, 280 jackets, 70 pairs of ski pants, 438 hats, 483 pairs of gloves/mitts, 214 scarves, 106 sweaters and other clothing. The project ends on February 15.  ♦

Kids from Norquay School helped sort the warm clothing.

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Bigg’s Rock Island Pizza

By Heather Geddie 

Vince and Audrey proudly display their signature pizza, Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Vince Dennis, owner of Bigg’s Rock Island Pizza, is living his dream. He’d wanted to open his own pizza place all his life. Working over the years in other pizza restaurants and learning the craft, he became more determined than ever to do it his way.  

When he spotted the empty shop on the corner of Burrows and Main, he jumped at the chance. When his business partner was afraid to open up in our ‘dangerous’ neighbourhood, he chose to go it alone. Vince, his wife Audrey and their five children came to Winnipeg from Toronto. For them, the North End is “a walk in the park.”   

They’ve been open for business since April 2010, bringing their spicy Caribbean flair to the neighbourhood, where they were welcomed with open arms. People came in just to tell them how delighted they were to see them there. Then of course, they got hooked on the food. Pizza is pizza, I once thought, but Vince’s specialty, Jamaican Jerk Chicken pizza, sure changed my mind. When Vince first opened up, he was the only one making it. Now he has several imitators.  

As busy as they are, Vince and Audrey enjoy the time they spend with their customers, who come for the great food and often stay to visit. They treat their customers like friends and have become a special part of the community. When I came to visit Vince, he had already made me supper – delicious, spicy jerk chicken and a very flavourful rice dish, and his signature jerk chicken pizza. Only on half the pizza, though. The other half was a wonderful cheese and garlic combination. The crust was ultra-thin and crisp – the perfect vehicle for the perfect pizza.  ♦

Bigg's Rock Island Pizza
1053 Main Street (corner of Burrows and Main) – Ph: (204) 777-2444
Hours:  Mon-Thurs 4pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 4pm-12am; Closed Sunday 

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Metro Meats

By Valerie Himkowski 

I was happy to volunteer to write an article about Metro Meats. I’ve been a loyal customer for years. I like the food, and I love the friendly staff. Metro is more than just our neighbourhood grocery store. According to the staff, it is the oldest smoke house in the city. They make many types of cold cuts and sausages, including kulbassa, smokies, and flavoured pepperonis. They will make you a fresh sandwich for lunch. They will make platters, large or small, for meetings, parties, and socials. Metro’s most popular item is the ham garlic sausage.

Janina, the owner, has been in business for 28 years. Her late husband Walter worked for the previous owners, who convinced Walter and Janina to take over the business when they retired. When I asked Janina what she likes about the store’s location, she replied, “The people in the community!”  ♦

Metro Meats, 121 Euclid Ave, ph: (204) 943-8217
Hours:  Mon-Fri, 8 am-7 pm; Sat, 8 am-6 pm; Sun, 10 am-5 pm (closed Sunday in June, July, August)

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Kung Po Restaurant

Compiled from ‘The Point’ archives 

The building at 63 Euclid Avenue has been home to several restaurants over the years. Since Kung Po Restaurant opened there in 2006, our neighbourhood has had a source for tasty Chinese food. Owners Joanne Gan and Haitao Deng have created a warm, inviting gathering place which is perhaps best known for the popular lunch buffet served daily Monday-Friday. Customers can also order from an extensive menu of individual dishes and combination dinners, and of course there is a take-out menu.

 For many of us in the neighbourhood, it’s been a treat getting to know this family. We have watched son Jackie grow up, been introduced to visiting friends and relatives, and celebrated when Joanne, Haito, and Jackie became Canadian citizens.

Unlike the other eating establishments featured in this issue, Kung Po is in the heart of the neighbourhood. So even on a cold winter day, think about getting out and warming your tummy with spicy Kung Po chicken or some of the other special dishes available at Euclid Avenue and Barber Street.  ♦

Kung Po Restaurant, 63 Euclid Ave, ph: (204) 942-2888
Hours:  Monday to Saturday, 11 am – 8 pm

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The Tallest Poppy:  Main Street Retro

By Shirley Kowalchuk 

Main Street lunch counters and diners in the 1930s were the heartbeat of the Point Douglas community, where "Blue Plate" specials were served: a balanced and nutritious three-portion meal, on the cheap.

Today, the feel of those special places can still be found at The Tallest Poppy Restaurant, where proprietor Talia Syrie serves up a deliciously modern, yet quite affordable Blue Plate special and more.

The Tallest Poppy Restaurant is a fabulous street-front eatery within the new bustle of the Red Road Lodge, a revitalized historic hotel and multi-function space on Main Street at Logan Avenue.

"I wanted the design to be a 1930's dust-bowl meets my grandmother's living room," said Syrie, who recently has been working to open the first ever convenience/grocery store in the Exchange District.

Local designer and Point Douglas resident Sharon Johnson creatively fostered The Tallest Poppy's 1930s diner mood by maintaining elements of the original space which functioned as a restaurant when the hotel first opened.

The period vestibule delivers diners into a cozy room aglow with the warmth of original radiators. A chalked menu board hangs from the ceiling near the till. Syrie describes the delicious and constantly changing menu only as "all from scratch, and all local."

At first Syrie wanted the space only in order to open a catering company. "But Richard Walls (owner of the Red Road Lodge) offered us very fair rent if we opened a restaurant here as well," said Syrie. "He thought the neighbourhood needed a restaurant - and I had no restaurant experience!" In operation for three years, The Tallest Poppy and the catering company have flourished. The restaurant also hosts private functions. "The Point Douglas community has been very good to us," she said. "I would never live anywhere else... I wouldn't trade it for love or money."  ♦

The Tallest Poppy, 631 Main St, ph: (204) 957-1708, www.thetallestpoppy.com
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 7 am-3 pm; Saturday, 9 am-3 pm; Sunday, 9 am-2 pm

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Connie’s Corner Café

By Mary Mathias 

Connie’s Corner Café has been a fixture at the southeast corner of Main and Selkirk since 1997. Owners Robert and Connie Chartrand have created a proud Metis business in the heart of the North End. The walls are full of memorabilia such as framed articles about the restaurant and signed photos and posters of the many celebrities who have enjoyed Connie’s hospitality. You can even sit at a lunch counter and plug coins into a mini-juke box. 

On a snowy morning in December, Barry and I walked over to Connie’s for breakfast. If you are adventurous and like large meals with lots of meat, this is the place for you. Try the “Mad Trapper” breakfast special which includes 3 eggs, bacon, wieners, garlic sausage, hash browns, and delicious bannock toast. Even Barry couldn’t quite clean up his plate. I enjoyed the $2.99 breakfast special available on weekdays until 10 am. Two eggs, choice of meat, hash browns, and toast filled me up. 

The daily lunch specials are full meals featuring meat, potatoes, vegetables, and soup. On weekends the specials are steak and eggs. Through the neighbourhood grapevine I’ve heard that Connie’s burgers and fries rank among the best in the city.  ♦

Connie’s Corner Cafe, 965 Main Street, ph: (204) 947-3926
Hours: Open for breakfast and lunch, 7 days a week

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Gunn’s Bakery

By Heather Geddie 

A trip to Gunn’s Bakery, just across Main and just down Selkirk, is always a special treat for me, but today was exceptional. 

Sitting with owners Bernie and Arthur Gunn in the tiny back office, surrounded by the bustle and noise of the city’s busiest, best-known bakery, and breathing deep the aromas of fresh-baked bread and other marvels, I was transported back to the Selkirk Avenue of long ago. Bernie and Arthur spoke of how Selkirk was always busy – full of people, streetcars, a multitude of businesses up and down the street – restaurants, theatres, grocery stores, meat markets, clothing stores, everything one could want.  

Colleen Hrynchuk, one of Gunn's friendly staff

Their parents came to Winnipeg from Poland in the late 20’s and in 1937 opened a little restaurant with a bakery in the back. They baked pastries to go with their menu, and soon the customers were coming especially for the pastries. Being the clever North End entrepreneurs that they were, they followed their instincts and became Gunn’s Bakery.  

Providing their community with the baked goods and kosher fare familiar to them in the ‘old country’, Gunn’s earned their special place in the hearts of the neighbourhood. Everything was made by hand back then, as it is today. The always-changing product line ensures a variety unsurpassed in Winnipeg. You’ll find over 20 varieties of bagels, 25 different varieties of bread, and an endless array of other delicacies.

You can pick up lunch or supper dishes, too. There are fresh sandwiches in the cooler and a freezer stocked with breaded pickerel, knishes, egg rolls, and other items. Small pizzas and containers of lasagna may be found both cooked and ready to eat or frozen. Gunn’s also offers a highly recommended, first-class catering service for everything from traditional Jewish occasions to boardroom meetings.  

For many who grew up in the North End, Gunn’s was part of the fabric of their lives. When they leave the neighbourhood, North Enders still come back to Gunn’s and tell their new friends about it, too. Gunn’s has become a destination, drawing customers from all over the city. As renowned as Gunn’s has become, though, they will still take special care to provide an emergency birthday cake for a community member. I know this firsthand!  

Bernie, Arthur and the very friendly staff at Gunn’s would like to extend a warm welcome to all the new folks in our community and invite them to drop in and treat themselves to a true North End experience.  

Gunn’s Bakery, 247 Selkirk Ave, ph: (204) 582-2364, www.gunnsbakery.com
Hours: Monday to Friday ~ 7:30 am to 6:00 pm; Saturday ~ 7:00 am to 4:00 pm

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Free Grocery Shuttle

A FREE grocery shuttle service will run on the 15^th- 17^th, 20^th - 22^nd, 28^th- 30^th of December, January and February during the day other than on Sundays.

This service is open to North End residents (north of the tracks, west of the river, east of McPhillips, and south of Carruthers). This shuttle is a pilot project funded and supported by Public Health Agency of Canada, North End Food Security Network and North End Community Renewal Corporation.

Shoppers will be picked up at participating agencies or schools and driven home after shopping. The stores that are participating in the shuttle are Sobeys Cash and Carry and Avenue Meats. Participating stores will be notifying NEFSN of upcoming specials, and nutritious, low-cost recipes that feature sale items will be given by NEFSN to participants, along with information on healthy eating.

A bi-weekly draw will occur for participants who purchase healthy foods that will be labelled with shelf-talkers at the grocery stores. During the months of January to March, participants will receive information on healthy food options in other North End restaurants and grocery stores, as well as a list of which stores offer delivery.

Participants will be invited to attend a community kitchen as well as a March cook-off celebration at North Centennial Community Centre.  ♦

For those who are interested or have any questions: Please contact Margo or Joanne at 927-2342.

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By Craig Ross 

This past November, a very interesting report came out about housing and health. The Reach³ Health and Housing in Transition Study is looking at the health of both homeless people and people who are ‘vulnerably housed.’ ‘Vulnerably housed’ in this case means that someone has their own place, but in the last year either was homeless or moved at least twice. Even though there are only approximately 350 people living on Winnipeg’s streets, the number of vulnerably housed people is closer to 7000. 

What they have found so far is quite startling. There are no differences in health between the absolute homeless and the vulnerably housed. That means that people who don’t have decent and stable housing—even if they have a place of their own—face the same health problems as people who are homeless. 

According to the report, 3 housing factors are important. The first two are that housing needs to be good quality and affordable. The authors ask that governments especially need to make this a priority. The third factor is something that organisations like Mount Carmel can help with: people need supports in their housing, especially for individuals with mental health or addictions issues. This is where projects we’re involved in, like the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s At Home initiative, come in. 

So the next time you think about how housing affects people’s health, remember that it’s not just a matter of the homeless and the not-homeless. As the report states, “The real gulf in health outcomes … [is] between those who have continued access to healthy housing, and those who don’t.” 

You can find the report, Housing vulnerability and health: Canada’s hidden emergency, at www.homelesshub.ca.

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By Christie Paul 

November was domestic violence awareness month, and the Women's Centre hosted a healing circle with women in the community. The Buffalo Gals, a drum group from the North End Women's Centre, sang for us and joined us in sharing our stories of living with and surviving violence. There was a lot of courage in the room that day. We also took time to talk about the Silent Witness Project, which remembers and honours our sisters who have been killed by their intimate partners.   

All the women in the room acknowledged how important it is for everyone to have safe and non-judgmental places to talk about violence that is happening to them. Domestic violence not only affects the person who is being abused, it also affects our children and those around us who love us. We at the Women's Centre want everyone in our community to know that our doors are always open and that we are here to listen and to help anyone who needs it.   

In December the Women's Centre rang in the holidays with a festive Christmas Feast generously sponsored by Investors Group. The Norquay Community Centre was full of families, kids, music, presents, craft making, raffle prizes and of course a fabulous turkey dinner!  It was a fun way to start the holiday season together.  

What's New at the Women's Centre?

Our hours have changed!  Due to requests from the women at the Centre we have moved our weekly staff meeting to Thursday mornings. The Centre is now open Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri 9:00-5:00 (closed for lunch from 12-1), Thursdays from 1:00-5:00pm and Saturdays 1:00-4:00pm.  

The Community Kitchen is back up and running twice a month thanks to our resident chef Jo Sheppard and the beautiful kitchen at the Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre. Drop by to sign up to cook a healthy meal that you get to take home!   

Coming in January the “Nobody's Perfect” parenting group, a place to share and learn ideas around being the best parent you can be.  Look for information at the Women's Centre.   

Aqua Fit classes continue on Wednesday mornings. Be at the Centre by 9:45am to join the group. Bus tickets and admission fee provided. Bring your swim suit or talk to staff if you need one. 

Finally, safety funding for the North Point Douglas Women's Centre has been extended for another year!  Warm thanks to Neighbourhoods Alive!  ♦ 

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We welcome your letters and opinions at any time.

You may contact us by email at thepoint.editor@pointdouglas.ca , by telephone at 942-6811, by writing to us at The Point Community News, c/o 116 Grove St. Wpg MB, R2W 3K8, or by dropping a letter into our mailbox at that address. ♦

By Christine Burrows

You can become an Invisible COW and help keep our neighbourhood a place that is safe and healthy for our families. We are a totally anonymous group; there are no meetings, no badges or T-shirts. From the privacy of your home you see what is going on, if it concerns you, you simply call 956-4090, we do not need your name or address, or you can email point.powerline@yahoo.com . If you email us we can send you information as we receive it.

I went to my bookcase to find the dictionary so I could look up and properly use the words discouraged and disillusioned. I couldn’t find it on any of the shelves. My son probably used it for a school assignment and failed to put it back. I was a little “disappointed.”

I was trying to get a handle on what I was feeling the other day at City Hall when the Property and Development Committee met and concluded that tearing down the Shanghai Building on King Street was in the best interests of the City. You know the building--between Pacific and Alexander, nice façade, brick construction, used to house City Hall, perhaps one of the last anchors in Chinatown that represents our exciting past. It’s great to see the new United Way and the W.R.H.A. in the neighbourhood. It’s also wonderful to see the progress on the Union Bank Tower and the successful repurposing of the façade on the Red River College Campus. 

Part of the problem I continue to have is with the process. Heritage Winnipeg and Councillor Gerbasi were informed of this meeting shortly before it happened--already a fait accompli. At the meeting an architect representing the current owners let out the intention to build a seniors’ housing complex on the site. He even had an “architects drawing” on a piece of stiff cardboard to lend support. He held it up for the committee for mere seconds. Are these drawings sacred or something? There were calls from those opposing it to get an engineer’s report on the condition of the building. There were pleas to at least entertain options for the site. When I left the meeting I assumed due diligence would be done. Right! The next morning the radio news said demolition was imminent. 

What’s this all about? My neighbour had the mess in his yard hauled away by the City because he was negligent and had allowed an unsightly situation to get out of hand. However, owners of historic buildings, well, any building can allow properties to deteriorate until they are derelict. Then the city rewards them by offering grants and tax incentives to redevelop the site that they screwed up. How about this! You let it go down. You pay to bring it back up. You fail at that. You lose the building and it goes to someone who will do it justice. This isn’t as severe as leading them into City Hall courtyard before a firing squad. 

Humph! I cannot sit anymore and witness the bravado of that committee state what shall happen on their watch. None of them displayed any confidence in our city or understood the importance of heritage or that if they asked there’d be a line up of ideas on how to meld this important piece of the past into our future. Money! It’s said it’s too expensive to do things that way. We can’t afford not to do things ‘that’ way. We can’t afford that 20^th century thinking anymore. Who do these people think they are? Steve Juba! 

We’re not some backwater town that should think with the insecurity of teenagers at a school sock hop. It’s time that City Hall displays some chahungas and confidence in Winnipeg. Never mind the words discouraged and disappointed. What about discredit, discordant, disconnect, disdainful, disembarrass, disenfranchise, disingenuous, disinherit…oh, I found my dictionary.  ♦

Please phone the community centre at 943-6897 for more information on all programs and activities.  ♦

Children of the community, along with staff and volunteers, wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Enjoying Crafts at 'Check It Out! The Reading Zone', the Winnipeg Public Library
program which takes place the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.

The Point would like to thank our advertisers, past and present, for their support of this vital community service. We urge our readers to support our advertisers at every opportunity. We are a community.

The Point strives to be a non-partisan organization, and as such, we welcome campaign advertising from all candidates in our civic elections. Please contact our Advertising Sales Manager for further information.

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