Community Prevails, Final2

2014 SPECIAL EDITION ARTS MATTERS: COMMUNITY PREVAILS PREMIER GREG SELINGER MAKES AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT z z Merchants Corner Project With an $11 M investment from the province and the solid backing of the community, the old Merchants Corner Hotel on Selkirk Avenue is set to undergo a major transformation. A large crowd gathered outside and his friends would cash in the old Merchants Hotel on empty beer bottles at the Hotel Selkirk Avenue on Tuesday, June after the weekend. “For our 24, 2014 for an important children,” we will go “from beer announce- bottles to ment by books,” he Premier Greg declared, to the Kevin Chief Selinger approval of the The Honourable Kevin Chief, MLA for Point Douglas, about the community Minister of Children and Merchants members and Youth Opportunities, and a Corner other friends UWinnipeg alumnus, declared we will go “from beer bottles Project. But and supporters to books” with the it was more a of the redevelopment of the old celebration Merchants Merchants Hotel. than an Corner Project. nnn announcement. Against a Selinger announced that with cheery backdrop of posters, an investment of $11m from the banners and artwork, the province, the 100-year-old Honorable Kevin Chief, MLA building will be redeveloped as for Point Douglas and Minister an educational hub, a of Children and Youth community gathering place, Opportunities, opened the event and, literally, a home to many as by recalling how, when growing up in the neighbourhood, he Continued on next page z Merchants Corner Project Announcement cont’d z DEVELOPMENT PLANS INCLUDE THE RELOCATION OF UWINNIPEG’S DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND INNER-CITY STUDIES TO THE NEW SPACE it will include 30 units of much- and pursue post-secondary needed affordable housing. The education. University of Winnipeg’s Jim Silver, Chair of UIC, said Department of Urban and “this is great Inner-City Greg Selinger example of Premier Greg Selinger, far Studies will what can be right, added that the relocate there Merchants Corner Project will achieved when along with the bring with it a change from the North End Community “hotels to homes.” Community Education nnn comes together Development to create a Association: vision and a Pathways to plan and when Education Pictured here Greg Selinger with Dept. Chair the Provincial Program. of UIC Studies, Jim Silver; faculty member, Shauna MacKinnon; and staff members, government— CEDA: Cheyenne Henry and Laurel Cassels which deserves Pathways will a great deal of work to ensure there is support credit on this and other North for youth at-risk to ﬁnish high End projects—supports us with school. The Department of serious funding. This project, UIC Studies will help adults to with its innovative approach to achieve Mature Student status education, will be Glenn Moulaison, Dean of Arts, with transformative.” Jim Silver, UIC Dept. Chair Read on for more of what was said. change and says the “North End LLOYD AXWORTHY rising” slogan is catching on. University of Winnipeg President, speaking on behalf of the University, extended his congratulations to Michael Champagne on NECRC’s work STAN MCKAY and to Sherman Kreiner and Elder Stan McKay opened with Jeff Palmer of the University of the blessing, saying “It’s about Winnipeg’s Community PETER BJORNSON human beings in family.” Renewal Corporation, and The Honourable Peter described the Department of MICHAEL Bjornson, MLA for Gimli and Urban and Inner-City Studies the Minister of Housing and CHAMPAGNE Department Chair, Jim Silver, Community Development, said Michael Champagne, Member and faculty member, Shauna that the project is of the Board of the North End MacKinnon as “pioneers in our “transformative for the Community Renewal university.” community because of the vision Corporation (NECRC), of the community.” Axworthy stated that part of the described the project as an mission of the University is to be example of what happens when a partner and to build a better the people of a community community and a better city. He collaborate. Here, he says, went on to describe community, “everyone has a place in the in the words of the great circle.” Champagne is a driving American community activist, force among the progressive Saul Alinsky, as “a place where youth in the North End and a KATHY MALLET people prevail” and concluded student in the Department of Community leader Kathy by declaring “You have Urban and Inner-City Studies. Mallett remembered working on prevailed!” He sees the Merchants Corner Selkirk Avenue in the 1980’s Project as part of a larger when there was a single community agency on the street. The Merchants Corner Project, she says, will be the “jewel of Selkirk Avenue” and the “hope of the North End.”.

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