July 10, 2009
PROVINCE TO FUND ENHANCED RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN INNER CITY: ASHTON
Provincial funding of nearly $1.3 million under the Neighbourhoods Alive! initiative will create more opportunities for inner-city children and youth to participate in organized recreation, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton announced today at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre.
“Winnipeg’s inner-city youth will see the quality and diversity of their recreation options improve, as increased provincial funding results in a greater number of healthy and accessible recreation programs,” said Ashton. “We are striving to level the playing field so that community-appropriate opportunities are available for inner-city youth within their own neighbourhoods.”
The City of Winnipeg will use the provincial funds to deliver more youth recreation services in Winnipeg Neighbourhoods Alive! communities.
“Quality recreational programs are the nucleus of community services in our inner-city neighbourhoods and I am pleased we have the opportunity to enhance these services for many of our city’s highest-need citizens,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “I want to thank the Province of Manitoba for their contribution to improve Winnipeg’s inner-city recreational services.”
More programming and longer hours of operation will be provided at 10 inner-city recreation centres: Norquay Community Centre, Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, Pritchard Park Rec Centre, Magnus Eliason Rec Centre, Central Community Centre, Burton Cummings Community Centre, Broadway Neighbourhood Centre, Central Park Community Centre, Ralph Brown Community Centre and Mayfair Recreation Centre. Improvements include 20 new full- and part-time recreation leaders to plan and implement recreation programs, allowing for a 56 per cent increase in hours of operation at the centres. These recreation leaders will plan and implement recreation programs in consultation with the community.
Sports Programs in Inner City Neighbourhoods (SPIN), which provides a free summer soccer league and free, structured volleyball, basketball and table tennis program in the fall, winter and spring, will also be expanded.
A new community art initiative will be developed to bring creative-arts programs into inner-city centres on a regular basis. A new mentorship/leadership development program will partner university students (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) with Aboriginal high-school students who will plan and deliver an after-school drop-in program for early-years students at an inner-city school or recreation centre.
The provincial funding commitment runs until March 31, 2011, with the enhanced programming to be administered entirely by the City of Winnipeg.
“We are pleased to partner with the city to provide more recreation programs that provide opportunities for healthy and safe activities for children and youth in Winnipeg’s inner city,” added Ashton.
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