Families, Seniors, Youth, Libraries & Recreation

STRONGER FAMILIES. ACTIVE SENIORS. OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH. STRONGER COMMUNITIES.

Mynarski should be a place where children have somewhere to play, youth have somewhere to belong, families have somewhere to gather and seniors have somewhere to remain active and connected.

This priority is about bringing people together and creating more opportunities for residents to enjoy life in their own neighbourhoods.

Recreation is not a luxury. It supports physical health, mental wellness, prevention, youth development, senior independence, family connection, community safety, belonging, social connection and neighbourhood pride.

Public libraries, community centres, parks, playgrounds, sports fields and recreation facilities are essential neighbourhood infrastructure. They help children learn, give young people positive places to spend time, keep seniors connected and provide families with affordable ways to participate in community life.

Mynarski residents should not have to travel across Winnipeg every time they want to exercise, swim, walk indoors, play sports, attend family programming, join a youth drop-in, participate in senior activities, use a modern fitness facility or attend a community event.

Our goal is practical.

• Develop a long-term Mynarski Recreation and Community Investment Plan.
• Protect, improve and expand the facilities, libraries, parks, community centres and programs that already exist.
• Identify what is working, what is missing and which neighbourhoods are underserved.
• Expand affordable programming for children, families, youth, seniors and people with disabilities.
• Create more evening, weekend, school-break, summer and winter opportunities.
• Bring more block parties, festivals, movie nights, family activities and neighbourhood celebrations into Mynarski.
• Investigate whether Mynarski or the broader North End requires a modern, regional, multi-generational recreation and community hub.
• Examine water-recreation options, including splash pads, wading-pool improvements, pool expansion and a possible larger aquatic project.
• Build accessibility and transportation access into planning from the beginning.
• Pursue provincial, federal, nonprofit and community partnerships.
• Measure where recreation and library funding is going and report publicly on progress, costs, delays and unresolved gaps.

Families, seniors, young people and community organizations have raised many of the same concerns repeatedly.

• Families want more affordable activities close to home.
• Parents want safe places where children can play, learn and spend time with other families.
• Young people need safe and welcoming places to gather without being treated as a problem.
• Youth want more evening, weekend, school-break and summer programming developed with them, not simply for them.
• Families cannot always afford registration fees, equipment, transportation or the cost of travelling across Winnipeg.
• Seniors want places to walk, exercise, socialize, have coffee and remain connected throughout the year.
• Many seniors face isolation, fixed incomes, mobility challenges and transportation barriers.
• Residents want more indoor recreation during winter.
• Community centres may have limited hours, aging buildings, accessibility barriers, insufficient equipment or too little program space.
• Residents want better use of existing City buildings, school facilities, libraries, apartment common rooms and nonprofit spaces.
• Some parts of Mynarski have fewer recreation opportunities than others.
• Families want more splash pads, water activities, wading-pool improvements and summer programming.
• Residents want block parties, outdoor movie nights, family fun days, cultural celebrations and neighbourhood festivals.
• Libraries are relied on for literacy, homework support, computers, internet access, job searches, technology training and affordable community programming.
• Parents want children's areas and collections organized clearly and appropriately for children.
• People with disabilities want facilities, equipment, transportation and programming designed with accessibility in mind from the beginning.
• Residents want parks, playgrounds, courts and sports fields that are safe, maintained and fairly distributed.
• Residents want to know why major recreation investments appear to happen elsewhere while the North End continues to wait.
• People want realistic plans, honest costs and regular public reporting.

Residents are not asking one councillor to promise every facility immediately. They are asking for a serious plan, fair investment, better partnerships, honest numbers and a councillor who will keep pushing until Mynarski receives the attention it deserves.

My approach has two parts.

First, protect, improve and expand the libraries, community centres, parks, facilities and programs we already have.

Second, determine through research and consultation whether Mynarski or the broader North End requires a major new recreation and community facility.

The work will proceed at four levels.

Immediate opportunities

• Use existing libraries, community centres, parks, schools, apartment common rooms and nonprofit spaces more effectively.
• Improve promotion of existing programs.
• Expand pop-up recreation, mobile programming, youth drop-ins, senior coffee gatherings, family activities, block parties, outdoor movie nights and library programs where practical.

Short-term program expansion

• Explore youth recreation, senior walking groups, family fun days, summer and winter programming, equipment lending, arts and cultural activities, recreation subsidies, mentorship, employment preparation and volunteer-led programs.

Medium-term facility improvements

• Review repairs, accessibility, lighting, washrooms, change rooms, kitchens, program rooms, gym access, equipment, staffing, safety, hours and transportation connections.

Long-term major investment

• Investigate whether a modern, regional, multi-generational recreation and community hub is needed.

I will not promise a major facility without knowing where it will go, what it will cost, who will operate it and how it will be maintained.

Residents deserve exciting ideas, but they also deserve honest numbers, realistic timelines and public accountability.

• Hold regular recreation, family, senior and youth roundtables in Mynarski.
• Meet directly with families, young people, seniors, accessibility advocates, community-centre boards, library users and community organizations.
• Request information on existing facilities, programs, spending, accessibility and service gaps.
• Track recurring concerns involving recreation access, affordability, programming and facility condition.
• Bring recurring concerns to City administration and Council.
• Introduce motions or request reports where appropriate.
• Advocate during City budget and capital-planning decisions.
• Review potential sites for future recreation investment.
• Request preliminary construction, operating, staffing and maintenance estimates.
• Pursue provincial and federal partnerships.
• Work with schools, libraries, community centres, Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, cultural organizations and local businesses.
• Push for accessibility reviews and transparent public consultation.
• Report publicly on progress, costs, funding requests, delays and unresolved barriers.

One councillor cannot personally build a recreation centre, approve a water park or create a major City budget. A councillor can build the case, request research, bring motions, advocate during budgets, build partnerships, seek funding, keep residents informed and hold City systems accountable.

• A complete Mynarski recreation-needs assessment and public inventory of recreation facilities and programs.
• Identification of underserved neighbourhoods and service gaps.
• A long-term Mynarski Recreation and Community Investment Plan.
• Fair recreation and library capital and operating investment.
• Protection and strengthening of public libraries.
• Stronger community-centre planning, funding and public reporting.
• Better evening, weekend, school-break, summer and winter programming.
• Expanded youth drop-in opportunities.
• Senior walking, coffee and social programs.
• Affordable family recreation and clearer information about subsidies.
• Water-recreation planning based on public consultation and feasibility work.
• Accessible facilities, equipment, transportation and programming.
• Transparent capital and operating costs.
• Public consultation before major decisions.
• Better coordination among Community Services, Public Works, Transit, libraries, community centres and other City departments.
• Public reporting on how recreation and library spending is distributed across Winnipeg.

• Provincial capital funding for recreation and community infrastructure.
• Community-centre improvements.
• Senior wellness and social-connection programs.
• Youth recreation, mentorship, prevention and paid work-experience partnerships.
• Mental-health and public-health partnerships that support activity and social connection.
• Accessibility funding.
• Skills training and youth employment pathways.
• Indigenous-led and Indigenous-partnership recreation initiatives.
• School and community-use agreements.
• Community-development funding and support for families facing financial barriers.
• Provincial participation in a major North End recreation investment if research supports it.
• Transparent reporting when provincial funding is requested, approved, delayed or denied.

The Province is not responsible for every recreation program. Provincial participation would be especially important for major capital projects, accessibility, youth programming, public health, senior wellness, skills development and community partnerships.

• Federal recreation and community-infrastructure funding.
• Accessibility funding.
• Youth employment, mentorship and skills programs.
• Community-development funding.
• Indigenous partnerships.
• Climate-resilient and energy-efficient community buildings.
• Affordable and inclusive recreation initiatives.
• Public-space improvements.
• Capital support for a possible major North End recreation facility if supported by research, consultation and a sustainable operating plan.
• Transparent reporting when federal funding is requested, approved, delayed or denied.

Families should be able to spend time together without recreation becoming another financial burden.

• Free and lower-cost recreation where funding allows.
• Subsidized registration, family passes and senior discounts.
• Equipment-lending programs.
• Affordable family swim opportunities.
• Parent-and-child programming.
• Weekend family activities and indoor winter programs.
• Summer day programs, family sports, arts and crafts, reading events and family game nights.
• Outdoor movie nights, community picnics and water-play activities.
• Accessible programming for children and family members with disabilities.
• Better public information about fee assistance.
• Programs within walking distance where practical and transportation support where distance is a barrier.
• Partnerships with nonprofits, sponsors and community organizations.

Not every recreation program can be free. Any subsidy or new program requires approved funding, eligibility rules, administrative capacity, partnerships and Council approval.

Childhood should include opportunities to play, learn, create, explore and build friendships regardless of family income.

• Sports, swimming and water play.
• Arts, crafts, music and cultural activities.
• Story times, reading clubs and literacy events.
• Safe winter recreation and summer programming.
• Community gardening and outdoor learning.
• Playground and splash-pad activities.
• Family festivals, outdoor movie nights and seasonal celebrations.
• Community picnics, game nights and pop-up recreation.
• Activities designed to include children with disabilities.

Fun matters. It helps children build confidence, healthy routines, friendships and positive connections to their neighbourhood.

Senior wellness includes physical activity, social connection, independence and belonging.

Many seniors live alone, do not drive, face language barriers, live on fixed incomes or have difficulty travelling during winter.

• A year-round indoor walking track as part of a future hub or other suitable facility if research supports it.
• Indoor walking programs using existing facilities while long-term options are studied.
• Safe outdoor walking routes, benches, rest areas, lighting and accessible sidewalks.
• Gentle exercise, mobility, balance and senior fitness programs.
• Walking groups, cards, games, educational sessions and technology assistance.
• Senior coffee centres or regular coffee mornings.
• Library programs, community meals where practical and intergenerational activities.
• Volunteer opportunities and programs within or close to senior apartment buildings where possible.
• Accessible seating, washrooms and transportation connections.
• Better coordination with regular transit and Handy Transit.

A recreation opportunity is not truly accessible when residents cannot reach it.

Young people need somewhere to go, something positive to do and adults willing to invest in their future.

Programming must be developed with youth, not only for youth.

• Youth drop-in centres and dedicated youth rooms.
• Safe evening, weekend, school-break and summer spaces.
• Basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, gym drop-ins and other activities.
• Music, arts, gaming, technology and fitness programming.
• Homework and study space.
• Cooking and life-skills programs.
• Peer and adult mentorship.
• Leadership development and volunteer opportunities.
• Employment preparation, first-job pathways and paid work experience where possible.
• Skilled-trades exposure and business mentorship.
• Community gardens, cleanups, lawn-care and snow-removal initiatives.
• Mental-health and peer-support partnerships.
• Safe transportation planning.

I will not promise direct City employment. My role will be to build partnerships with employers, schools, colleges, unions, Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, community organizations and local businesses.

Mynarski needs one long-term plan that brings recreation assets, programs, facility conditions and community needs together.

The plan should review Sergeant Tommy Prince Place, community centres, public libraries, parks, playgrounds, sports fields, pools, wading pools, splash pads, school gymnasiums and fields, senior apartment common rooms, nonprofit facilities, cultural organizations, Indigenous community spaces, youth spaces, indoor fitness access, transportation barriers, program costs, facility condition, accessibility and geographic gaps.

The plan should identify what exists, what is working, what is missing, which neighbourhoods are underserved, which programs can be expanded quickly, which buildings need modernization, whether new facilities are required and how residents will be involved at every stage.

The goal should be simple:

Something for children.

Something for youth.

Something for families.

Something for seniors.

Something happening in every part of Mynarski.

Mynarski and the broader North End should investigate whether a modern, regional, multi-generational recreation and community hub is needed.

Potential elements to study may include:

• Indoor walking and running track.
• Fitness, weight-training and cardio areas.
• Multiple gym spaces for basketball, volleyball, badminton and pickleball.
• Indoor soccer or flexible multi-use sports space where feasible.
• Youth drop-in centre and family recreation.
• Senior fitness, walking and coffee space.
• Multipurpose rooms and community meeting space.
• Arts, cultural and Indigenous programming.
• Teaching kitchen and affordable café or food space.
• Childcare where feasible.
• Accessible washrooms and change rooms.
• Outdoor spray pad and a possible pool or aquatic component.
• Library partnership.
• Employment, mentorship and skills-training space.
• Nonprofit and community-service partnerships.

This is a long-term concept, not a guaranteed promise.

Before supporting construction, I would require a needs assessment, population and catchment study, review of existing facilities, service-gap analysis, resident consultation, youth consultation, senior consultation, family consultation, accessibility consultation, Indigenous community consultation, site identification, land and zoning review, environmental review where required, transportation analysis, construction and operating-cost estimates, staffing and maintenance plans, a capital funding plan, provincial and federal participation, community partnerships, Council approval and a public implementation timeline.

I will not promise a major facility without knowing where it will go, what it will cost, who will operate it and how it will be maintained.

Residents deserve exciting ideas, but they also deserve honest numbers, realistic timelines and public accountability.

Mynarski needs a serious public conversation about water and summer recreation.

• One larger outdoor water park or modern aquatic facility.
• A pool expansion.
• Several neighbourhood splash pads.
• Upgrades to existing wading pools.
• Accessible water-play features.
• Shaded family seating.
• Washrooms and change areas.
• Summer recreation staff and family programming.
• Aquatic-safety education.
• A combination of one larger facility and several smaller neighbourhood projects.

Residents should be consulted before a final option is selected.

Any proposal must examine site suitability, construction costs, operating costs, staffing, water and utility costs, maintenance, safety, accessibility, transportation, funding, shade, seating, washrooms and long-term sustainability.

Community centres are essential neighbourhood infrastructure. Existing facilities should be improved and used more effectively before the City assumes every solution requires a new building.

• Building condition and repair needs.
• Accessibility, entrances, washrooms and change rooms.
• Gym availability, program rooms and kitchens.
• Equipment, lighting, safety and security.
• Staffing and volunteer capacity.
• Evening and weekend hours.
• Youth, senior and family programming.
• Affordable registration and fee assistance.
• Capital needs and partnership opportunities.
• Whether underserved areas require expanded or new facilities.
• Shared programming, shared equipment, mobile recreation and stronger promotion.
• Youth, senior and family advisory input.
• Transparent funding decisions.

The questions are practical: What can be improved in the facilities we already have? What programs can be expanded now? Which neighbourhoods remain underserved? Where is a new facility genuinely required?

Public libraries are a major pillar of this priority and essential neighbourhood infrastructure.

St. John's Library and West Kildonan Library are City library branches serving residents in and around Mynarski. They should be protected and strengthened as places for learning, connection and opportunity.

Libraries support children learning to read, students completing homework, families seeking affordable activities, seniors reducing isolation, newcomers building language and digital skills and residents accessing employment resources, computers, internet service, government information, arts, culture and community programming.

• Review whether hours, staffing, space, maintenance, accessibility and programming meet current community needs.
• Expand youth programming, homework support, study nights and reading clubs where practical.
• Expand children's story times, family reading events and literacy activities.
• Explore senior coffee mornings, technology help and intergenerational programs.
• Support employment, résumé, digital-literacy and newcomer assistance.
• Expand community lectures, arts, cultural events and meeting-room use where feasible.
• Strengthen partnerships with schools and community organizations.
• Improve promotion, mobile services and outreach.
• Report publicly on service changes, budgets, hours and major facility needs.

Libraries must remain places that support literacy, learning, free inquiry, access to information and community education.

Parents also reasonably expect children's areas and children's collections to be organized in an age-appropriate manner.

• Clear age-based organization and catalogue information.
• Appropriate placement of adult materials outside children's sections.
• Transparent collection-development policies.
• Accessible complaint and reconsideration processes.
• Professional review by trained library staff.
• Public explanation of how materials are selected and categorized.
• Respect for parental involvement in children's reading.
• Protection against arbitrary political interference without an established review process.

Children's collections and displays should be age-appropriate, clearly organized and professionally reviewed. Adult materials should not be placed or promoted as children's material.

One councillor cannot personally remove individual books. A councillor can request information, ask how policies are applied, bring resident concerns forward, request policy reviews, support transparent complaint procedures, advocate for age-appropriate organization and vote on budgets and broader library policy.

Strong communities are built when neighbours have opportunities to meet, celebrate and create positive memories together.

• Neighbourhood block parties and street festivals.
• Community barbecues and family fun days.
• Outdoor movie nights.
• Cultural and seasonal celebrations.
• Community markets and local-business participation.
• Sports tournaments and youth talent shows.
• Music, arts, holiday and winter events.
• Community cleanup days followed by gatherings.
• Senior social events and intergenerational activities.
• Community dances where appropriate.
• Pop-up and mobile recreation.

I will advocate for reviewing City barriers involving permits, application forms, fees, street closures, insurance, safety planning, equipment, barricades, small grants and coordination with community centres.

This is not a promise of unlimited City funding. It is a commitment to make community-led events easier to organize safely and responsibly.

Accessibility must be built throughout this entire priority, not added after decisions are made.

• Accessible entrances, washrooms, change rooms and seating.
• Mobility-friendly walking routes.
• Inclusive recreation equipment and accessible playgrounds.
• Programming for people with disabilities.
• Sensory-friendly programming where practical.
• Clear information and affordable access.
• Staff and volunteer awareness.
• Winter accessibility.
• Public transit connections and reasonable distance from bus stops.
• Handy Transit access.
• Evening and weekend transportation.
• Planning for residents who do not drive.

A recreation opportunity is not truly accessible when residents cannot reach it.

Priority #4 contains the broader transit and Handy Transit policy. Priority #6 focuses on whether residents can reasonably reach libraries, community centres, parks and recreation programs.

Parks and outdoor recreation spaces should be safe, maintained, accessible and designed for different ages and abilities.

• Park and playground improvements.
• Accessible playgrounds.
• Basketball courts and sports fields.
• Outdoor fitness equipment and walking loops.
• Benches, shade, lighting and accessible pathways.
• Washrooms where feasible.
• Summer activities and winter recreation.
• Community gardens and picnic areas.
• Outdoor movie locations.
• Public art and cultural programming.
• Maintenance, cleanliness and safety.
• Fair geographic distribution of outdoor recreation investment.

Priority #3 contains the broader urban-forest policy. This section focuses on how shade, trees, seating and accessible design support comfortable outdoor recreation.

Major recreation improvements cannot be funded or delivered by one councillor or one organization.

Partnerships may involve the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, community centres, libraries, schools, school divisions, Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, cultural organizations, seniors' and youth organizations, local businesses, charitable foundations, responsible private partners, sports organizations, colleges and training institutions.

Every major proposal must identify construction, operating, staffing, maintenance and utility costs; funding sources; partnership and legal responsibilities; accessibility; transportation; long-term sustainability; and public reporting.

I will not assume grants or sponsorships will automatically be available. I will not announce a project as funded until funding is formally approved.

Residents in every part of Winnipeg deserve modern, accessible and affordable recreation.

This is not about taking facilities away from another neighbourhood. It is about building a transparent case for fair investment in Mynarski and the North End.

If major recreation facilities are being developed elsewhere in Winnipeg, what is the long-term investment plan for Mynarski and the North End?

I will advocate for public reporting on:

• Recreation and library capital spending by area.
• Facility age and condition.
• Population served and travel distance to major facilities.
• Accessibility and program availability.
• Community-centre condition.
• Indoor gym, pool and fitness access.
• Youth drop-in and senior-program availability.
• Provincial and federal funding by area.
• Projects approved, delayed or cancelled.

Fair investment does not mean every neighbourhood receives the same facility. It means decisions should be based on population, need, facility age, condition, accessibility, service gaps and transparent evidence.

Some outcomes can be reported directly by the councillor's office. Others require City data or are influenced by wider social, financial and community conditions. I will distinguish between them honestly.

Measures my office can directly report:

• Family, senior, youth and recreation roundtables held.
• Residents, youth, seniors, families and accessibility advocates consulted.
• Community centres and libraries consulted.
• Recreation and facility concerns received and tracked.
• Funding requests made and partnerships pursued.
• Reports requested and motions introduced or supported.
• Meetings with City, provincial and federal representatives.
• Public updates issued.
• Delays and unresolved issues reported.

Measures requiring City data:

• Facility condition.
• Capital and operating spending.
• Program participation.
• Recreation fees and subsidy use.
• Accessibility upgrades.
• Community-centre and library hours.
• Library usage.
• Youth and senior program participation.
• Park, playground, pool and splash-pad use and condition.
• Funding distribution.
• Construction and operating costs.
• Project timelines.
• Geographic distribution of services and travel distance to major facilities.

Broader indicators I will track without claiming direct control:

• Youth and senior participation.
• Family recreation access.
• Community-centre and library use.
• Social connection and reduced isolation where reliable information is available.
• Youth employment and mentorship opportunities supported through partnerships.
• Resident satisfaction and perceptions of safety.
• Participation by lower-income families and people with disabilities.
• Community-event participation.
• Use of parks and public spaces.
• Neighbourhood confidence and community pride.

Wider social outcomes are influenced by many factors and cannot be attributed to one councillor or one program. I will report on trends and explain what City decisions, funding, partnerships or barriers may be helping or holding progress back.

I am a father, homeowner and North End resident.

As a father, I understand the importance of giving children and young people positive places to learn, play and belong.

As a Registered Nurse with 20 plus years of experience, I understand how physical activity, social connection and prevention support health and quality of life.

As a former business owner who created local jobs, I understand the value of opportunity, mentorship, employment and community investment.

As a Realtor, homeowner and North End resident, I understand that strong parks, libraries, recreation facilities and community spaces help build healthier, safer and more confident neighbourhoods.

Recreation is not only about sports. It is about health, prevention, youth development, senior wellness, family connection, safety, belonging and community pride.

I will not promise a major facility without honest research, public consultation, clear costs and a funding plan.

I will promise to listen, investigate, build the case, pursue partnerships, follow the money and report back.

Listen.

Report Back.

Follow the Money.

Build Solutions.

If elected, I will publicly report on:

• Recreation concerns brought to my office.
• Family, youth and senior program needs.
• Accessibility and transportation concerns.
• Community-centre conditions.
• Library concerns, hours, programming and capital needs.
• Park and playground conditions.
• Proposed facility improvements.
• Recreation and library capital spending.
• Construction and operating-cost estimates.
• Provincial and federal funding requests, approvals, delays and denials.
• Public consultations and potential-site reviews.
• Major project timelines.
• Water-recreation planning.
• Youth drop-in expansion.
• Senior coffee and walking programs.
• Block-party and community-event barriers.
• Progress and unresolved problems.

Residents deserve to know what is happening.

They also deserve to know when nothing is happening and why.

Let's Make Change Together.