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When it comes to longevity with one company, it is hard to top Hope Toporowski.
Hope is celebrating her 50th year as the Postmaster in Fork River.
But her association with Canada Post dates back even further, to the days following her completion of business college.
"When I moved up to Thompson, my very first job was at the General Delivery counter at the Canada Post station there. That gave me an insight into what the work was. But that job ended when letter carrier service came in, and I went off to do other work."
She eventually moved back to the Fork River and eventually applied for the Postmaster position when the previous person retired.
Now, 50 years later, she has certainly see plenty of changes when it comes to mail service.
"The drop of letter mail, which was replaced first by faxes, and then emails. But also, the decline of parcel service. But now we are back to increased volumes of parcels, because of online shopping."
Hope is very appreciative of the support they have received over the past 50 years, adding that the post office in Fork River has become the hub of that community.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The fire hazard is up to high in Riding Mountain National Park.
And while there are currently no fire bans in place, park officials are asking visitors to take extra care in order to prevent wildfires.
That includes keeping campfires in designated firepits or approved appliances, never leaving any fire unattended, and making sure to soak, stir and fully extinguish any campfire when you are finished.
These small actions go a long way towards protecting the park, its communities, and wildlife.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
After long nights of contentious debates, Manitoba's provincial budget has been passed without any major amendments.
Over the past few days, Opposition Conservatives have spent long hours giving their thoughts on the budget, most saying the NDP Government's affordability measures aren't enough for the average Manitoban. Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn says otherwise.
"Passing as is, there were very minor adjustments. We are focused to improve our healthcare system, improve our education system, and we are on a vision to make things as best as we can for our province," said Kostyshyn.
One of the most talked about points in the budget is the provincial government's decision to remove PST (Provincial Sales Tax) from prepared food items at grocery stores. Most Opposition Conservatives said this isn't enough, considering many raw ingregients, like meat and milk, already are exempt from PST in Manitoba. Kostyshyn said the NDP Government is very committed to doing what they can to reduce costs, but when you inherit as large of a deficit as their government has, bringing it down often takes time.
"We feel that we're doing as much as we can, we have to educate the public as well. When we took over government, we were basically left with a $2 billion deficit...we've been able to chop it down in the neighbourhood of $1.2 or $1.3 billion where we've eliminated, our goal is to come into a balanced budget next year," said Kostyshyn.
Though it's an election year, the NDP Government shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to bringing down the deficit. Kostyshyn said his work with Finance Minister Adrien Sala has shown him there's a lot of things they can do to help reduce costs, especially with Sala's expertise over the years in finance.
"He's very knowledgeable when it comes to finance, he's spent a lot of his years in the finance industries, and he comes with a positive attitude. We're not going to correct something that was created over 7 and a half years by the previous government," said Kostyshyn.
Kostyshyn said one of the immediate changes the average Manitoban will feel is the PST being removed from prepared food, but other changes, especially related to annual taxes, will be noticed down the road.
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Phase one starts at 2nd Avenue Northwest.
Phase two will be 1st Street Northwest, between the Dental Clinic and the Dauphin Rail Station. Dauphin, let's talk Craft District. What is Craft District? Well, it's an initiative that the City of Dauphin has started. It's focused on the continued revitalization of downtown Dauphin.
Dauphin is already an extremely welcoming and special place. Craft District aims to enhance it even more.
"It's a project to make the street more pedestrian-friendly and enhance its presence," said Martijn van Lujin, economic development manager. "We're doing some beautification. In essence, we want to make it an attractive street that people want to come to."
2nd Avenue NW will remain open to vehicle traffic, and parking will continue to be available along the street. Improved loading areas and accessibility features are being incorporated to better serve businesses, customers, and residents.
A new pedestrian crossing in the middle of the block will provide a safer and more convenient connection for people moving throughout downtown. In addition, wider sidewalks will improve accessibility. The project is designed to support existing businesses while creating a more attractive, comfortable, and inviting public space.
As the project moves ahead, there will be additional trees and landscaping. It will include enhanced pedestrian-scale lighting. The City will also add benches, seating areas, and gathering spaces.
van Lujin says it's thrilling to be a part of the project.
"We've been working on this now for a couple of years. We've been slowly getting to this point in time when we are ready to tender the project and hopefully, see some construction this summer," ended van Lujin. "We've been building excitement. We've worked with stakeholders, and some local business people are on our community to provide feedback. Everyone is excited about it. This is another positive that we're creating for our downtown."
You can also expect public art, Indigenous art installations, and murals that celebrate our community's culture and history.
The Craft District is a part of the city's 25 years of downtown rehabilitation efforts.
This includes the restoration of CN Station, the development of City Hall, improvements to CN Park, and storefront enhancement programs.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
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A group of Grade 9 students at the DRCSS is connecting with the land.
Through the horticulture class, students are learning the ins and outs of gardening. They're gaining knowledge of the different types of plants, soil, fertilizers, and careers in the field. They've been taking on hands-on projects in the community and around the school.
Patty Goodine feels blessed to get an opportunity to teach the course.
"You know, it's something that gets them outdoors," said Goodine. "Get their feet and hands in the dirt, the earth. They get to connect with nature. It's like therapy, there are so many benefits from it."
The program began on April 15, and students quickly got down to business. There were five large raised garden beds outside the school. Students refurbished them into one large bed and cleaned them. Plants have since been planted.
"The students were very active in doing that and understanding that this needs constant maintenance and care," added Goodine. "Just like a baby, these are our babies. We need to give them the love that they deserve."
Recently, the class partnered with the City of Dauphin for the second year to plant trees at the Vermillion Sportsplex.
It's another way the students are helping contribute to local green spaces and environmental initiatives.
Goodine says it's an incredible feeling knowing the students are taking initiative to help beautify the City of Sunshine.
"Even if they don't realize it, it is so beneficial for them," added Goodine. "This is something they can put on their resume, put it under the volunteer section. This is stewardship. Giving your time and effort for a really, really good cause."
The other day, Goodine ran into one of her students at a local garden store. That student was working at the store for the summer.
"That's fantastic. This is a kid that struggled," added Goodine. "You just don't know where some of these students are going to end up. You know, he's doing okay."
Goodine, who has worked at the DRCSS for 13 years, believes the horticulture program is one of the most important offered at the school. She is passionate about gardening and connecting with the land, and she loves sharing her knowledge and passion.
In a time when grocery prices are skyrocketing, students are seeing the value of planting. What's the best thing about that? They now know how to achieve it.
"Moreover, the therapy in it. Being in touch with nature," ended Goodine. "Getting your hands and feet dirty with the earth. Getting the students outside and moving is probably the most important part of what we're doing at the school."
Dauphin has become that much more of a beautiful community thanks to Patty Goodine and her horticulture class at the DRCSS.
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On Friday, the Dauphin Regional Health Centre hosted an event to mark the hospital's 125th anniversary, marked by dignitaries and speeches about what exactly the hospital means for Dauphin and the Parkland.
To kick off the speeches, Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn read part of a recent Member Statement he made in Legislature, recognizing the Dauphin Regional Health Centre's contributions to the community over the past number of years.
"This special anniversary celebrates not only infrastructure, but the dedicated healthcare professionals and staff, volunteers, and community members who care about how we shape our generation," said Kostyshyn.
Also in attendance to speak on the importance was Dauphin mayor David Bosiak, who was born at the Dauphin Hospital. On a more professional note, the fact Dauphin has a facility with such a broad scope of care is one of the biggest selling points of the city.
"It's just so important to have a facility like this in our community. People need to travel for healthcare. As our aging population requires more and more care, so much of that care isn't in their local community. For us to have a facility like this here, it's care from birth to the end of life," said Bosiak.
Even over the past 25 years since the hospital's 100th anniversary, there have been numerous improvements that have helped to expand the scope of their care even further. Local historian Al Gray said over the years, the hospital has made some big steps to improve their quality of care.
"Just with the expansion of the facility comes the expansion of services, and because Dauphin is principally a regional health centre, I think we need the diagnositcs, we need the MRI, we need the CAT scan, we've already got a little bit of cancer care here, a new endoscopy unit," said Gray.
One of the Dauphin Hospital's biggest claims to fame is their Rural Residency program. Going on next Monday to Friday is Rural Week, a program that sees medical students in Winnipeg get shipped off to Dauphin, so they get real-world medical experience in rural communities. Physician Dr. Scott Kish said the hospital's big programs, Rural Week and their Residency Program, continue to help more communities get practiced healthcare professionals.
"They've had a great experience seeing a variety of things in the hospital, in terms of the ER, and clinic, and operating room...when our residents graduate from here, they're able to work in any environment in Canada," said Dr. Kish.
Looking at the past 125 years of healthcare in Dauphin, it's safe to say there have been a lot of changes over the years, but the Dauphin Hospital has always been a cornerstone of the community. Gray said keeping Dauphin's history in mind is something that should be important to every Dauphinite, considering just how rich our history is.
"There's a lot of history in this community. We need to learn from it, we need to preserve it. It's always great to look back and see where we've come from. And if it wasn't for the coming of the railroad and the settlers in here in 1896, Dauphin wouldn't exist, we wouldn't have needed the hospital," said Gray.
Looking ahead, it's impossible to say how healthcare in the Parkland will look in the next 125 years. But it's almost a certainty the the Dauphin Regional Health Centre will still be the centre of it.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
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Dauphin, let's talk recycling.
The City of Dauphin is launching a new recycling awareness campaign on Monday. It will focus on improving recycling habits, reducing contamination, and addressing the ongoing misuse of the City's recycling program.
The City is constantly monitoring the amount of material that ends up at the disposal site. They've noticed a gradual decline in the amount of recyclable materials that OSS has been collecting on the City's behalf. This corresponds with an increase in the amount of material going to the waste disposal site.
"So we would like to divert as much of the recyclable materials and extend the life of the waste disposal site," said David Bosiak, Mayor. "It also increases the amount of recyclables that help the environment. It helps us overall, so that's what we're trying to do."
In recent years, contamination in curbside recycling, at the Residential Recycling Depot on 1st Avenue SE, and improper dumping at the site have continued to increase.
In recent months, the City of Dauphin has made several Facebook posts about people misusing the Residential Recycling Depot.
"You know, we've routinely been picking up garbage and things that aren't recyclable," added Bosiak. "We suspect that some of the folks are not from the community; it's just a convenient place to drop stuff off."
Bosiak says misuse of the depot is unacceptable and can't happen.
"It's become very costly," commented Bosiak. "Since we do have recycling at the maintenance site, that will be the option, if we can't get the public to treat the site in the community with the respect I believe it should have."
You can expect plenty of information throughout the campaign.
- What can and cannot be recycled
- Changes to the Residential Recycling Depot
- Common contamination issues
- How contamination impacts operations and program costs
On Monday, changes will be introduced at the Residential Recycling Depot to simplify operations, reduce misuse, and improve site cleanliness.
"We're going to clean it up a little bit. We will limit the kinds of recyclables that can go there," continued Bosiak. "Public Works is figuring out exactly what will happen. We want to keep that facility in the community, but an option is to remove it if we continue to have problems there."
You can play a role in the success of Dauphin's recycling program by recycling only accepted materials.
Stay tuned to CKDM for the changes on Monday.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Weddings, anniversaries, funerals, pancake breakfasts, craft sales, and concerts.
Have another event in mind? The Laurier Community Centre could be the perfect spot to host it. Charlene Saquet is the vice president of the Community Centre.
"The Laurier Community Centre is the only place in town that can hold 300 people," said Saquet. "So we feel it's a really important building to keep going in the community."
One event a month is hosted at the facility, with the summer months being the busiest. About a year ago, Saquet and the board looked at replacing the metal siding and adding exterior styrofoam insulation. That comes in at $56,000.
Thanks to Sunrise Credit Union, that dream is closer to becoming a reality. Through the Building Community Grant program, Sunrise has awarded the Laurier Community Centre with $15,000. The upgrades will help extend the lifespan of the well-used, volunteer-run facility.
For many who have used the facility, it's often referred to as the heartbeat of Laurier.
Saquet says she's grateful to have received the grant.
"It feels great. If you've ever driven past the community centre, you can see the paint on the siding is peeling," added Saquet. "I think it's going to give it a really nice facelift. With the new insulation, that should help with our energy costs."
While they haven't fully raised all the money needed to make the upgrades happen, Saquet says they're getting close. They're also hoping to do a bathroom renovation. They hope to make the bathroom wheelchair accessible.
New kitchen cabinets are another upgrade they hope to add in the future.
If you're interested in hosting an event at the Community Centre, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Charlene also gives a huge tip of the cap to those who have volunteered in the past.
"Yes, thank you to everyone. Also, thank you for all of the community support," she ended. "We started taking donations last year and are continuing to do so to put towards any renovations. We want to thank everyone who has donated so far."
They've already raised more than $20,000, with the goal being $50,000.
Other Recipients:
Treherne Minor Athletics will receive $10,000 under the Arts, Culture, & Sports category to replace the aging rink boards at its facility.
Under the Individual and Community Wellness category, the Minnedosa Regional Health Foundation has been awarded $20,000 toward the purchase of new and additional surgical equipment to maximize the number of operations that visiting specialists can perform per day.
The Cypress River Fire Department has been awarded $3,500 to purchase a new set of turnout gear. Consisting of a jacket and pants, turnout gear serves as a firefighter’s first line of defense in emergency response situations.
Under the Facilities Construction or Improvement Capital Grant category, Hartney Sprouts Daycare will receive $5,000 towards the installation of a play structure at their new centre. This centre will add 63 daycare spots for the community
Thank You, Sunrise Credit Union:
Since launching the Building Communities Grant program in 2023, Sunrise has supported 26 community projects. That adds up to $261,598.68 in funding
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The road into and out of Dauphin from the south has officially been renamed in honour of one of Canada's most decorated World War pilots.
Highway 10, from the North gate entrance to Riding Mountain National Park to the intersection of Main Street and Whitmore Avenue, is now known as the Lieutenant Colonel William Barker V-C Highway.
Historian Al Gray says there is a significance of having this highway renamed after the former Dauphin resident.
"Those of us that live in Dauphin know about those actions, such as the school, the airport, and the air cadet squadron. But, part of this project was also tourism driven. That people might be able to recognize that Billy Barker is a Dauphin hero. And maybe it would cause them to be more inquisitive."
Dauphin Mayor Dave Bosiak says the Barker family have played a large role in the history of our community.
"Everybody that comes into town can be reminded as they go past the airport that has his name, that the highway also (bears his name). And that takes them right into the community, where his grandfather was the first mayor. They were so significant in forming and forming our community."
Gray, along with Hugh Arkley, have been working on this renaming project for the better part of four years.
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