Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham speaks at a rally prior to the 2024 Winnipeg Pride Parade, on Sunday, June 2, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Daniel Crump)
Scott Gillingham is proposing a new $60-million fund to renew aging community recreation infrastructure across Winnipeg, pointing to a worn-down football field in Westdale as an example of the need.
The incumbent Winnipeg mayor held a news conference on Friday in Charleswood as part of his re-election campaign.
“I’ve already committed to eliminate fees for basic volunteer criminal record checks,” Gillingham said. “We need to make sure [volunteers] have good fields, community centres and recreation facilities to work with.”
The plan would create a $60-million community recreation asset renewal fund, starting with a $20-million city commitment while seeking matching investment from other levels of government and private partners, to support repairs and renewal of community centres and local recreation facilities.
It would also renew two aging sports fields each year with artificial turf beginning in 2027, and provide dedicated staff support to help volunteer community-centre boards with governance, project planning and securing funding.
Gillingham said the commitments build on the city’s recent recreation investments, including the new South Winnipeg Recreation Campus and expanded spray pad network, while addressing neighbourhood facilities that have “been waiting too long for basic renewal.”
The civic election is October 28.
