October 21, 2008
NEIGHBOURHOODS ALIVE! FUNDS FIRST PROJECTS IN PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
The province’s plans to revitalize neighbourhoods are being expanded as $105,850 to support six projects in the new Neighbourhoods Alive! community of Portage la Prairie was announced today by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton.
“The consultation process that led to these projects involved local residents in the planning and development of community improvements,” Ashton said. “Many young people, parents and even some houses in Portage neighbourhoods should see benefits from these projects.”
The projects announced today at the Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation’s first annual general meeting include the following:
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
· Portage la Prairie School Division Community Engagement Project -$38,800 to establish an interim advisory committee (IAC) including local resident, municipal, business and community organization representatives. The IAC has decided to launch the Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation as the organization for co-ordinating ongoing local revitalization efforts.
· Portage Community Planning Project -$10,000 to conduct community consultations and develop a five-year Neighbourhood Renewal Plan for Portage la Prairie.
· Portage Potato Festival Youth Project -$5,000 to expand children and youth activities at the annual Potato Festival in Portage. The project provided a range of free recreation and entertainment opportunities for children and youth attending the festival.
· Young Parents Resource Centre Tupper Street Family Resource Centre -$15,000 to develop a centralized family resource centre that combines the services of Child and Family Services of Central Manitoba and Portage Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The project will help furnish and equip counselling rooms, resource space, children’s creative play space, a family and group room, a kitchen and a nursery in the renovated Family Resource Centre.
· Canadian Mental Health Association (Central Manitoba) Mental Health First Aid Training -$7,050 to certify two staff to deliver the Mental Health First Aid program to Portage. This internationally recognized educational program develops organizational and individual capacity to support persons experiencing mental health crises.
Neighbourhood Housing Assistance
· Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corp. Community Housing Improvement Initiative (Housing fix-up grants)-$30,000 to provide grants of up to $2,500 to homeowners for exterior home repairs including painting and cleaning of exterior brick or stone, and repairs to front steps, handrails and sidewalks, exterior siding, fencing, windows, doors and roofs, and landscaping.
Neighbourhoods Alive! (NA!) is a long-term, community-based, social and economic development strategy that supports and encourages community-driven revitalization efforts in neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson, Portage, Dauphin, Flin Flon, Selkirk and The Pas. The strategy focuses on key areas such as housing and physical improvements, employment and training, education and recreation, safety and crime prevention.
More information on the NA! program is available at www.neighbourhoodsalive.mb.ca.
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