PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE—A successful community development program that has invested more than $37.5 million in revitalization for high-need areas will be expanded to Flin Flon, The Pas, Dauphin, Portage la Prairie and Selkirk, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton announced here today where he was joined by several community groups at the William Glesby Centre.

 

“These five communities will now have access to the Neighbourhoods Alive! toolbox of supports to respond to their unique revitalization needs and priorities,” said Ashton.  “Since its launch in 2000, Neighbourhoods Alive! has contributed to initiatives to revitalize high-needs neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson that have improved housing, safety and recreation. As a result, these communities are showing visible signs of renewal.”

 

The immediate focus of Neighbourhoods Alive! will be meeting with key stakeholders in each of the new communities to provide information about available programming and explore local revitalization opportunities and challenges.  In September, community consultation/open house sessions will be held in each of the five communities. 

 

Neighbourhoods Alive! is the province’s long-term social and economic strategy to support and encourage community-driven revitalization efforts in designated urban communities. The program recognizes that local residents and other community stakeholders are in the best position to identify local revitalization priorities. The role of Neighbourhoods Alive! is to support the community in identifying those priorities and to provide resources to address them. 

 

“We look forward to working with Portage and the four other new Neighbourhoods Alive! communities over the next several years and seeing future revitalization successes similar to those that have occurred in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson,” said Ashton. “I commend the work of several groups in Portage including the Portage Beautification Committee for the revitalization efforts to date.”

 

The provincial government launched Neighbourhoods Alive! in 2000 to support the community-driven revitalization of designated neighbourhoods in Manitoba’s three largest cities.  In 2005, the program expanded to seven additional neighbourhoods in Winnipeg’s inner city. 

 

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