Russ Wyatt

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On this Christmas Eve, I want to say thank you to the men and women who serve us in the Winnipeg and Fire Paramedic Service.

Every year I drop by the the Fire Halls that serve the Transcona Ward, which are Station 21 (Regent Ave W), Station 25 (Day St), Station 9 (Marion Ave), and Station 27 (Sage Creek, which services Southland Park), and deliver them a Christmas Turkey, to thank them for the work they do helping others and saving lives!

When everyone is running out of a burning building, our Firefighters are running into it. They are amazing with their dedication and high level of professionalism. And our Paramedics and Firemedics, respond to some of the highest rates for medical calls, per capita, in North America.

Let’s give thanks to these selfless individuals, who don’t hesitate to put their lives on the line to save others! Now if that isn’t in the true Spirit of Christmas, I don’t know what is!

I dropped by the East District Police Station today to say THANK YOU to our Men and Women in blue, and deliver some Christmas Sweets.

It’s a small gesture of thanks, as my admiration for the Winnipeg Police Service is so strong. I can’t say enough to express gratitude!

These folks are daily on the front line of what I call our Urban Health Crisis. They need our support and thanks. I believe we need to FUND THE POLICE, and can’t support those who in the past have called on defunding police.

Yes, we need to offer a helping hand to those that want to change their lives, but we also need the other hand to ensure we have a safe and strong city.

It’s Christmas, and to the members of the WPS, thank you for everything you do to make our City safe. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Held a get together with friends for Christmas last evening. Raised $810.00 for the Transcona Food Bank as well as donated Food that filled the back of the SUV.

Thank you to Jack and Sue and all the volunteers at the Transcona Food Bank for the work they do helping others !!

I just saw a black dog with a collar run south across Dugald Rd at Ravenhurst.
No doubt lost!

A group of Transcona Residents are working hard to bring back the Transcona Pipe Band, that the Covid Pandemic (like many groups) affected, by ending the Band program.

Please support their efforts by attending the Robbie Burns Evening Event, see poster below!

Transcona was one of the few communities in Manitoba to actually have its own Pipe Band, named after the community, and was started decades ago by the wonderful George Lawrence, may he Rest In Peace.

Let’s support this effort, as this Pipe Band did much for youth and community Pride!

Thank You.

Thursday evening was at the Transcona Museums' Jingle and Mingle Christmas party. Volunteers received certificates of appreciation!

And Thank you to all volunteers everywhere!

Photos from our Transcona Ward Parks Open House held on November 21st at East End Community Club.

It was well attended and I received some great feedback from attendees!

Over 20 boards were up showing the exciting work to renew our parks that are coming in 2024 PLUS plans for more parks and playgrounds to be updated and renewed soon (2025 and 2026).

Transcona is called the "Park City" for a reason. Parks form part of the core of a healthy and strong community.

Once again, thank you for all who attended. And if you missed it, no problem, we will have another Open House in 2024!

I had my first meeting with our new Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Radisson, Jeylnn Dela Cruz, at my Transcona Ward Office.

Together we discussed local issues affecting our community and how we shall work together toward solutions and making our community better. It will be the first of regular meetings together.

I was very impressed by her energy and enthusiasm and I know she we be a great success.

If she is a success as an MLA, it's means our community will benefit and have success as well, and so I am committed to working with her to assist her in anyway I can!

On Friday, long time constituent and friend, Judy Boulton, dropped by the Transcona Ward Office to say hello. It was so great to she after a number of years!!
Time does fly!

Congratulations to John Couture, of Transcona, or better known as "The Cooch!"

His attendance in Hamilton makes this his 50th Grey Cup!!!!

The Cooch has been an avid and loyal Bomber Fan, constantly drumming up team spirit.

I first met the Cooch at the 79th Grey Cup in Winnipeg in 1991, when it was the Toronto Argonauts VS the Calgary Stampeders (and when I still had a head of hair lol).

The Argonauts took the Cup that year, so let's hope instead it's the West that is victorious this year!

GO BOMBERS GO !!!!!

Met with Larry Vickar this week.

Larry is the President of the Vickar Automotive Group. He and his family, wife Tova, and sons Sam and Stephen, have always been VERY community oriented, supporting community groups and worthy causes.

Many of the Car Dealerships today in Winnipeg are owned by big Corporates, who do little to give back to our community, and frankly, take their profits out of Manitoba and typically give in places where their Corporate Headquarters are located - not here!

Larry and his family still run a family business. And they have never forgotten their roots, caring greatly about our community. So when it's time for you to purchase your next vehicle, please keep this in mind.

When we support locally owned and operated businesses, they then can give back and support community causes, as the Vickar's have done time and time again!

This evening at the South Transcona Community Club Annual General Meeting, with members of the new Board of Directors

Thank you to all the volunteers of the South Transcona Community Club for stepping up and giving of your personal time to give back to our community.

Your service often goes unrecognized, however I want you to know it is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely, Russ Wyatt

Remembrance Day. Lest We Forget!

In Flanders Field Poem
By Lieutenant-Colonel Dr John McCrae:

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

Attended yesterday the Transcona Museum's Annual Remembrance Service and Opening of their KP Mall Remembrance Day Display, in Centre Court.

Congratulations and thanks to Alanna Horejda, the Transcona Museum Curator, her staff, Board Chair, Rick Walker, and all the Board Members for their work on this!

Meeting with the Transcona Food Security Council.

The Transcona Food Bank is in need of volunteers. To get involved please reach out to
Jack at [email protected]
and/ or Susan at [email protected]

They are great folks and some more hands helping makes it easier on their long standing and existing volunteers. Thank you.

I met with the Principal and Vice-Principal at Harold Hatcher

We agreed to work together to improve safety and the school grounds, namely for a proper cross walk at the Transcona Trail where it crosses Redonda, a joint program ideally to install a Chainlink Fence along the back lane (playground area), and to work with Parent Council and School Admin, with the City, on the need for clean up of old basketball courts/tennis court site.

Getting my paper and saying Hello to Paul, who has Managed our 7-11 at Day and Regent for decades and is a wonderful person !

Attended monthly Transcona Museum Board Meeting.

The volunteer board and staff of the Transcona Museum have done a wonderful job of the 2747 Locomotive Project and ongoing work of preserving and promoting the history of our community!

This morning saying thank you to our workers who weekly look after our Recycling and Refuse pic up!

Today at the monthly Board Meeting of the Transcona Biz Board of Directors. The Transcona Biz Board and their Staff Team do great work in and for Transcona!

It was a beautiful evening in South Transcona! I enjoyed a short visit with Tia and Nelly the beautiful Horse, on Foch Avenue!

Progress on East of the Red Rec Plex (ERRP):

The City, for the first time, has developed a schedule for building the East of the Red Rec Plex (ERRP). Much is tied to funding from other levels of government, but for the first time, thanks to the fact Council has committed $2 million this year to this project, progress is being made!

We lost 4 years of work on this project from 2018-2022, as demonstrated by a recent report to Standing Committee, where my predecessor who was our Councillor during that time, made zero progress on making this important project a reality.

Thanks to the support of Mayor Gillingham and all of Council, ERRP is moving in the right direction!

Congratulations to our new Premier Wab Kinew!

Congratulations to our new Premier, Wab Kinew, the first Indigenous Canadian to become a Premier of any Canadian Province, as well as to his newly elected caucus members.

Congratulations to Nello Altomare (Transcona) on his re-election and congratulations to newly elected MLA’s Jelynn Dela Cruz (Radisson), Tracy Schmidt (Rossmere), and Renee Cable (Southdale), all MLA’s who share boundaries with the Municipal Transcona Ward. I look forward to working with all of you for the good of our community and City!

I also would like to take this opportunity to thank former MLA’s James Teitsma (Radisson), Andrew Micklefield (Rossmere), and Audrey Gordon (Southdale) for their dedication to Manitoba and for their public service.

Photo: tonight with my son, Tommy Wyatt, at the NDP Victory Party at Hotel Fort Garry, after we helped to pull the vote today for Wab Kinew and team NDP!

On Friday, Sept 29th at our Council meeting, The Mayor and Councillors take a moment to stand together and remember the importance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation!

Update on East of the Red Rec Plex (ERRP)

Work to secure and build this 190,000 square foot regional indoor recreation facility, to be located beside the Transcona Library on Transcona Blvd, has been active and ongoing.

This Rec facility may be Located in the Transcona Ward but it is actually Regional in nature, meaning it’s size, scale and amenities will be to the benefit and use of All residents living in North East Winnipeg and Most of East Winnipeg (ex Southdale, Southland Park, Sage Creek, Windsor Park, etc).

In this years Capital Budget (2023), working with Mayor Gillingham and with the support of all members of Council, we as a community were able to secure $2 million, crucial seed money to allow the City to do the work required to move us from a Class 5 Capital Estimate to a Class 3 Capital Estimate, needed to be able to go and tender the construction of this major Rec project.

This is great news for our community! Furthermore, a report will soon be coming to our Standing Committee that contains more great news, which I will be able to publicly share at that time.

MORE GREAT NEWS ON ERRP:

Working with our MLA Nello Altomare, and members and staff of his Caucus, the NDP has made a major promise to help with ERRP, should they form Government on Tuesday.

From NDP online Platform:

“Work with the City of Winnipeg on key critical infrastructure projects to improve opportunities for recreation for families, including the South Winnipeg Recreation Campus in Pembina Trails and the East of the Red Rec Plex”

I can tell you this is a major and significant commitment by future Premier Wab Kinew, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him and our MLA Nello Altomare, for all of their support!

It also needs to be pointed out that I did actively lobby our present government, behind the scenes, on this matter, but unfortunately to no avail.

Please keep this in mind when you go to vote on Tuesday, October 3rd!

Sincerely,

Russ Wyatt
City Councillor

Very happy to sign this petition

Once a high school hockey team is cancelled for one season, the fact is it’s very hard to bring it back for future seasons

I made a point of going down to TCI and speaking with Ms Anderson, the Principal. She put me in contact with Assistant Superintendent Mark Bruce, who I just spoke to and encouraged him to do everything possible to keep the team alive for this season

Steps that could be taken that appear not have been yet taken (but it’s still not too late to do so), is for the School Admin, Board of Trustees AND the School Board Administration to reach out to the Railers Express, Transcona Minor Hockey, and our hockey leaders in our Community Clubs, to see if there are TCI students from those teams who are available to play for the Titans. From talking with some of those organization contacts, it appears that hasn’t been fully explored yet.

Once again, if we can keep this program alive this year, for the sake of the kids, all avenues should be explored asap! I also communicated to Ms Anderson and Mr Bruce, that if I could be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely, Russ Wyatt

Sign the Petition Support our Transcona Collegiate Hockey Players

Yesterday we had an official ceremony with Representatives of the Transcona Legion, along with the Mayor, and City Forestry and Cemetery Staff, for an official tree planting at the Transcona Cemetery.

The Transcona Legion applied for and received a $11,000 grant that will plant new trees at the Transcona Cemetery.

The grant is available again for other not-for-profit groups to apply to. The link is https://www.winnipeg.ca/services-programs/trees-environment/trees/tree-planting/tree-planting-grants

Trees and the need to plant new trees and more trees was part of my platform in the election last year. I'm happy to work to deliver on that commitment.

Winnipegs' Urban Forest is the envy of many cities, but that also means we must be vigilant and active to maintain the health of our existing urban forest, as well as expanding it.

As City Council moves toward developing and adopting a Greenspace Master Plan, for existing City trees and forests as well as the creation of new forests and parks, it is important we remember to work with other levels of governments to ensure Winnipeg is at the forefront in fighting Climate Change.