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Photo by Emma Honeybun Tara Tuchscherer, 49, was one of the six recipients of the province’s Excellence in Education Awards. The humanities teacher has been in the business for 25 years, now, and has spent most of her career at St. James Collegiate.

‘Mrs. T’ gets an E for excellence

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

As the saying goes: if you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life. This rings true for Tara Tuchscherer.

The 2023-2024 recipients of Manitoba’s Excellence in Education awards were announced by the province on April 19, honouring teachers and school faculty who have proven their ability to go above and beyond for students and their school’s communities.

Tuchscherer, a longtime teacher at St. James Collegiate, was one of the six people recognized.

Tuchscherer — or Mrs. T, as she’s known — was recognized for her work in teaching the humanities, both in-class and around the school. The 49-year-old has also dedicated countless volunteer hours to organizing events, speakers, and city-wide trips.

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A place to learn and play — for all ages

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Preview

A place to learn and play — for all ages

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

A local business is looking to make a big splash in the national baby sensory pool.

Lullaland baby sensory classes were developed in Winnipeg by Denise Turanli and Fran Hiebert. The two women met years ago, while working for a multinational drinks company.

“We worked in a very male-dominated industry, which brought us together very quickly,” Hiebert said. “Fast-forward years, we both get pregnant at the exact same time, we find out on the same day, and we have baby boys born one day apart. We went through motherhood side-by-side.”

While attending baby groups together, Turanli and Hiebert started talking about what they would do if they were putting on the sessions.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Photo by Sheldon Birnie

Brooke, Payton, and Kris Pritchard regularly attend Lullaland baby sensory programs in their home community of Windsor Park.
Photo by Sheldon Birnie Brooke, Payton, and Kris Pritchard regularly attend Lullaland baby sensory programs in their home community of Windsor Park.

Vincenzo’s Mercato serves up foodwith a family touch

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Preview

Vincenzo’s Mercato serves up foodwith a family touch

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 4 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

With the opening of Vincenzo’s Mercato, River Heights residents have been treated to the taste of genuine Italian food.

Located at 1580 Taylor Ave., the grocery store, bakery, restaurant and café has something for everyone, served with a familial, in-house taste. It’s operated by the De Luca family, consisting of husband-and-wife Vincenzo and Daniela, and their daughters Juliana and Cristina, who are essentially taking the craft of homemade cooking with a family dynamic — something that they all grew up with — to a workplace setting.

“(Daniela) has been cooking since she was 10,” said Juliana De Luca Vassallo, who manages the store, while her mother is in charge of the menu.

“We were brought up in the food industry, and fell in love with food,” Juliana added.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024
Vincenzo’s Mercato serves up foodwith a family touch

Longtime volunteer to be posthumously honoured at Valley Gardens C.C.

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

Longtime volunteer to be posthumously honoured at Valley Gardens C.C.

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

A beloved volunteer who recently died will be honoured by the community centre to which he gave so much of his time.

On June 8, Valley Gardens Community Centre (218 Antrim Rd.) will host its annual Family Fun Day. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., folks will be able to enjoy a variety of games and family friendly activities, including bouncers, face painting, food trucks and more. A youth bake and craft sale will also be held in the community centre’s hall.

At noon, there will be a ceremony to rename the community centre’s baseball diamonds in honour of Shane Fox, a longtime volunteer at the community centre who died of a heart attack on Feb. 5, 2022. Fox joined the VGCC board and started coaching baseball at the club in 2015.

“No matter who you talk to, people will tell you about his dedication to the community,” said Karen Kummen Diak, past-president and secretary of Valley Gardens Community Centre.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Supplied photo

Valley Gardens Community Centre (218 Antrim Rd.) will host its annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, June 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Supplied photo Valley Gardens Community Centre (218 Antrim Rd.) will host its annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, June 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Victoria Hospital to incorporate women’s addiction recovery centre

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

Victoria Hospital to incorporate women’s addiction recovery centre

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

The Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre, a rehabilitation centre dedicated to treating and housing women and two-spirit people, and their families, while they seek help for issues with addiction, was formally announced on April 24 at Victoria Hospital, where it will be constructed

The centre is named for the wife of longtime Winnipeg sports announcer Scott Oake, who died of breast cancer in 2021. The Oakes co-founded the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, which opened earlier in 2021 in Sturgeon Creek. The Bruce Oake centre focuses on addictions treatment and recovery for men and was named for their son, who died of an overdose in 2011.

Scott Oake said at last week’s press conference that many women are hesitant to enter recovery programs because they don’t want to lose their kids, so the new centre will offer the added benefit of housing a patient’s dependents during their time receiving help.

“When Scott explained that he wanted to do the Anne Oake Recovery Centre, so that women and two-spirit folks have a destination on their recovery journey, I said, ‘Yeah, it makes perfect sense,’” Manitoba premier Wak Kinew said, addressing a crowd which included front-line health workers.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024
Victoria Hospital to incorporate women’s addiction recovery centre

CCFM to receive provincial funding boost

Simon Fuller STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

CCFM to receive provincial funding boost

Simon Fuller STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

A cultural hub at the heart of the city’s francophone community received a funding injection from the Province of Manitoba as part of this year’s budget.

According to a news release, Centre culturel franco-manitobain’s annual funding has been frozen since 2011 at $419,000. In Budget 2024, the provincial government increased the centre’s operating budget by $387,000, to $806,000.

Ginette Lavack, CCFM’s executive director, expects the funding will have a stabilizing effect: “It will back us up and help us maintain the levels we’ve established. Moving forward — how do we expand and grow?”

Lavack said balancing the books is an ongoing effort, not least because the centre, located at 340 Provencher Blvd., must maintain a large facility and provide programming for a broad demographic.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024
CCFM to receive provincial funding boost

‘Steel sharpens steel’

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

‘Steel sharpens steel’

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

When you love what you do, it’s easy to get up each morning.

Just ask Saul Correia.

After 23 years of teaching, Correia’s commitment to education has been recognized by the Province of Manitoba. Recently, Correia — a woodworking teacher at Collège Churchill High School — was among the recipients of this year’s provincial teaching excellence awards.

“I really appreciate the acknowledgement,” Correia said. “But for me, I love what I do. This is such an awesome job.”

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Photo by Sheldon Birnie

Saul Correia, a woodworking teacher at Collège Churchill High School, was among the recipients of this year’s provincial teaching excellence awards.
Photo by Sheldon Birnie Saul Correia, a woodworking teacher at Collège Churchill High School, was among the recipients of this year’s provincial teaching excellence awards.

Churchill Bulldogs win Montreal tourney

FP Community Review staff 2 minute read Preview

Churchill Bulldogs win Montreal tourney

FP Community Review staff 2 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Collège Churchill High School didn’t ice a team in the recently concluded Winnipeg High School Hockey League season — but that doesn’t mean that Churchill boys haven’t played hockey this year.

On the weekend of April 10-21, a Churchill travelling team, made up of promising Grade 9 and 10 players, along with a few skaters from the school’s hockey academy program, won the U18 men’s Tier 3 trophy at the Défi Scolaire School Challenge 2024 tournament in Montreal.

Head coach Matt Varnes, a teacher in Churchill’s hockey academy said the team went undefeated through five games in the three-day competition and won the final by a 3-2 score over Quebec’s Polyvalente Saint-François on April 21 at the Arena CCSSJ in Sainte-Julie, a Montreal suburb.

“We scored the winner with 22 seconds left, so the players were ecstatic and the coaches were relieved,” Varnes said. “We hadn’t had that close a game to that point.”

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024
Churchill Bulldogs win Montreal tourney

More affordable housing OK’d by committee

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 2 minute read Preview

More affordable housing OK’d by committee

Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER 2 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

The Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee held a special meeting on April 23.

A public hearing was held regarding a variance application for 424 North Point Blvd., for a row of eight side-by-sides to be built on the vacant lots. The variance, which was approved, will allow for slightly more density per unit and fewer parking stalls than usually required, resulting in eight parking spots instead of 12. The site is across from a retention pond, so there are no residential buildings immediately opposite the site.

“The proposed development is compatible with the surrounding area,” Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) said in support of the variance. “Families are looking for affordable housing (in this area) and this project will certainly provide that.”

The application was schedule for consideration on Feb. 27 and April 4, but was laid over to allow for public reposting of the notification of application, owing to changes in proposed site plan. Nobody was registered in opposition.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Supplied image

Plans for a large, multifamily development at 1360 Templeton Ave., with a total of 208 units and over 300 parking stalls, was approved by the Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee on April 23.
Supplied image Plans for a large, multifamily development at 1360 Templeton Ave., with a total of 208 units and over 300 parking stalls, was approved by the Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee on April 23.

Up to par

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

Up to par

Emma Honeybun STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

As Manitoba golfers return to courses around the province, Golf Manitoba is upping its game.

In March, the organization opened the Golf Manitoba Performance Centre in the Sport Manitoba complex on Pacific Avenue. The facility provides competitive golfers a place to practise skills and strategy year-round, using golf simulator technology, in the company of coaches and professionals.

Training facilities and programs like it are becoming common in the golf world, said Jared Ladobruk, Golf Manitoba executive director, who is pleased that the new training is in the Sport Manitoba facility, which houses a variety of resources for other sports.

The 1,200-square-foot area features a hitting bay, where golfers are given the option to develop specific skills — things such as carry distance, angle of attack, and more — or to play a whole round. Coaching staff can capture the metrics of each swing, helping each golfer identify areas for improvement.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Supplied photos

The Golf Manitoba Training Facility is the brand new hub for competitive golfers in Manitoba — sporting state-of-the-art technology and a year-round putting green.
Supplied photos The Golf Manitoba Training Facility is the brand new hub for competitive golfers in Manitoba — sporting state-of-the-art technology and a year-round putting green.

Winnipeg’s ‘Swedish Main Street’

Christian Cassidy 3 minute read Preview

Winnipeg’s ‘Swedish Main Street’

Christian Cassidy 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

The section of Logan Avenue between King and Isabel streets was known as Winnipeg’s “Swedish Main Street’ from the late 1880s until the Second World War. Sadly, few signs of that once thriving community can be seen today.

Swedes began arriving in the Canadian prairies after the completion of the transcontinental railway in 1885. They came to escape poverty and hunger in their homeland. The 1911 census of Canada shows nearly 4,000 Swedish-born citizens living in Manitoba.

Many took advantage of the Homestead Act and moved to rural Manitoba to get 160 acres of land for $10. The federal government had set up a reservation for them, nicknamed New Sweden, north of Minnedosa and centred around the village of Erickson.

About half of these new immigrants are believed to have stayed in Winnipeg and most settled around Logan Avenue between King and Isabel. This was due in large part to two Swedish churches established in the neighbourhood as mass immigration began. The first was the Swedish Lutheran Zion Church, founded in 1890, and the other was the First Scandinavian Mission Church, founded in 1892.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Photo by Christian Cassidy

The former First Scandinavian Mission Church at Logan Avenue and Ellen Street closed in 1975 and is now an office building.
Photo by Christian Cassidy The former First Scandinavian Mission Church at Logan Avenue and Ellen Street closed in 1975 and is now an office building.

City news in brief — for the week of May 1, 2024

FP Community Review staff 3 minute read Preview

City news in brief — for the week of May 1, 2024

FP Community Review staff 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Volunteer Manitoba’s 40th annual volunteer awards

Volunteer Manitoba recently recognized the winners of its 40th annual volunteer awards.

The non-profit organization recognized its award-winners at an event at Club Regent Event Centre on April 18. Among the award recipients were:

Ridhwanlai Badmos — Lieutenant Governor’s community leadership award — Youth (Winnipeg);

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

File photo

The City of Winnipeg’s spring curbside giveaway weekend is May 11 and 12
File photo The City of Winnipeg’s spring curbside giveaway weekend is May 11 and 12

The boys of winter

T. Kent Morgan 4 minute read Preview

The boys of winter

T. Kent Morgan 4 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

The Winnipeg Monarchs junior hockey club, which was founded in 1930, had a long and storied history. The team won the Memorial Cup, emblematic of the Canadian junior championship, three times.

The first title came in 1935, when the home team, coached by Harry Neil, defeated the Sudbury Cub Wolves two games to one in a series played at the Amphitheatre. In 1937, the Monarchs went east and beat the Copper Cliff Redmen three games to one in the Canadian final in Toronto. That team was led by the line of Alf Pike, Johnny McCreedy and Dick Kowcinak. The trio, along with teammate Pete Langelle, are honoured members of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame, as is coach Neil.

The Monarchs’ third championship in 1946 might be our province’s greatest junior hockey victory. The western champions, coached by Walter Monson, went to Toronto, where they beat the highly favoured St. Michael’s Majors in a seven-game series that attracted record crowds to Maple Leaf Gardens.

Ross Parke recently sent this column a photo of the 1951 Monarchs team, which was the last one to reach a Memorial Cup final. The Monarchs finished in second place during the MJHL regular season, but won the Manitoba title by first defeating the Winnipeg Black Hawks four straight, and then the two-time defending provincial champion Brandon Wheat Kings in six games. Next up were the Port Arthur Bruins, whose lineup included an all-Manitoba line of Alf Lewsey, Nick (“C’mon Down”) Hill and Jack Staples. The Monarchs prevailed in seven games, winning the clincher 3-2. Elliot Chorley, Laurie Mitchell and Ron Barr, who netted the winner on a pass from Parke, scored for the Monarchs. Mitchell later became a provincial court judge.

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Supplied photo

The 1951 Winnipeg Monarchs were the last Monarchs team to make the Memorial Cup final.
Supplied photo The 1951 Winnipeg Monarchs were the last Monarchs team to make the Memorial Cup final.

Shamrock School principal named outstanding leader

Simon Fuller STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Preview

Shamrock School principal named outstanding leader

Simon Fuller STAFF REPORTER 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Karen Duffield leads by example. And she’s thankful for the community that supports her in her educational journey.

Duffield, who has been the principal of Shamrock School in Louis Riel School Division since 2022, is one of the 2023-24 recipients of Manitoba’s recently announced excellence in education awards.

Duffield is the recipient of this year’s outstanding school leader award. When she started her time as principal two years ago, Shamrock was accommodating Grade 5 and 6 students from the nearby École Sage Creek School.

According to the release which accompanied the awards announcement, Duffield — understanding the impacts of this change on school culture — prioritized “cultivating a sense of belonging and ensured the entire school community felt heard, valued and supported.”

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Photo by Emma Honeybun

Karen Duffield, the principal of Shamrock School, is one of the 2023-24 recipients of Manitoba’s recently announced excellence in education awards.
Photo by Emma Honeybun Karen Duffield, the principal of Shamrock School, is one of the 2023-24 recipients of Manitoba’s recently announced excellence in education awards.

RPSCA aims to bring community together

Sandy Nemeth 2 minute read Preview

RPSCA aims to bring community together

Sandy Nemeth 2 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

It is a deep-rooted desire to foster a sense of belonging that has motived a group of River Park South residents to revive the River Park South Community Association (RPSCA). With a goal of connecting and building community, RPS is truly fortunate to have some committed and passionate citizens who are equally event planners and advocates, willing to donate their time and talents to better our thriving corner of Winnipeg.

The volunteer board is made up of president Saumik Gupta; chair and secretary Laura Sulymosi; events director Tara Boissoneault; and sponsorship directors Indrima Munshi and Courtney Welch. Together they are an energetic and dynamic group drawn from all parts of RPS, offering diverse and varied complement of expertise, experience and talent — and all pulling in the same direction toward community cohesion.

Take a look at what we can look forward to this year:

• The first RPS Health, Wellness, Beauty and Crafters Show, May 11 at Dakota Community Centre;

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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Dreamstime

The River Park South Community Association is planning a Canada Day celebration in Burland Park on July 1.
Dreamstime The River Park South Community Association is planning a Canada Day celebration in Burland Park on July 1.

East edition news in brief — week of May 1, 2024

FP Community Review staff 2 minute read Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Winakwa CC to hold community cleanup on May 4

Organizers at Winakwa Community Centre are inviting area residents to lend a helping hand at an upcoming cleanup event.

The centre (980 Winakwa Rd.) will hold its community cleanup on Saturday, May 4. The cleanup will start at 11 a.m. and will be followed by a free barbecue at 12:30 p.m. for those who participated.

Visit winakwacc.ca for more information or to sign up.

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