Thank-You

 A sincere thank-you to the residents of South Centre who have chosen me as their representative on Brandon City Council for the next four years.

 I appreciate the support of everyone who encouraged me to take the plunge and enter the campaign initially, and those who helped me along the way the past six weeks.

 I can tell you my knowledge base on some of the issues facing our community has increased dramatically in the last six weeks, and I look forward to educating myself even more as we move forward.

 I look forward to having many more coffees at kitchen tables, many more face-to-face meetings and many more discussions on the things that are important to South Centre residents.

 To Mayor Rick Chrest and fellow councillor-elects Jeff Fawcett, Kris Desjarlais, Barry Cullen, Shaun Cameron, John LoRegio, Ron Brown, Glen Parker, Shawn Berry and Jan Chaboyer – I look forward to working with you for the good of our community over the next four years.

 

One More Sleep!

 I have a secret.

 One of the reasons I’d like to become a City Councillor is because I like to help people.

 Being chosen by South Centre residents to represent them tomorrow would give me four years to do this, but I already have a couple of success stories I’d like to tell you about.

 While campaigning in South Centre Ward, I was contacted by phone by Bob & Betty (not their real names), who had concerns about their neighbours.

 Bob & Betty have lived in their home for a long period of time but, over the years, their neighbours have changed to now be two duplexes (one on each side).

 Some of the tenants in those duplexes had less that desirable habits, including unkept yards, loud noise and the odd visit from the BPS.

 I was able to provide Bob & Betty with information on the City of Brandon’s nuisance by-law (did you know noise isn’t based on time of day, but based on the distance it can be heard?) while also giving them information on a Provincial program called The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act.

https://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/commsafe/scna.html

 The Act allows for one or more residents of a neighbourhood who fear for their safety or security to file a complaint with Manitoba’s director of law enforcement.

 The complaint is kept confidential, and the identity of those who file it cannot be revealed at any time.

 The director will launch an investigation and if evidence supports the claim, they have many options including applying for an Emergency Closure Order.

 While the Act deals with severe issues (e.g. unlawful drug use, sexual abuse or exploitation of a child, possession of an unlawful firearm), it does give residents another tool to help deal with issues within their neighbourhood without having to deal directly with the neighbours or the landlords who rent their properties to people who engage in those type of activities.

 

 I also wanted to tell you about Adam & Adele (again, not their real names), who contacted me about their ever increasing property taxes.

 Adam & Adele’s taxes have increased by about $1,000 in the last ten years, more than doubling their previous amount (40% of which were municipal increases).

 They live in a modest home, but development in their area has meant their provincial assessment on their property and home had increased.

 In my face-to-face conversation with Adam & Arlene, I suggested a pair of opportunities that they weren’t aware of.

 One, was the ability to appeal their assessment to the province, which wasn’t something they were aware of even after visiting the District Assessment Office in Brandon.

 Second, they weren’t sure whether they were receiving the Manitoba Education Property Tax Credit Advance.

 My assistance to Adam & Adele’s issue had little to do with being a council hopeful, but more to do with the knowledge base I have by being someone who has paid property tax in Brandon for the last 20+ years.

 By the way, if you’re interested, you can get more information on how to appeal your provincial assessment through the Manitoba Municipal Board at https://www.gov.mb.ca/municipalboard/index.html

 And find out if there’s a provincial tax credit program you can take advantage of at https://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/tao/eptc.html

Less than 48 to go!

 We are less than 48 hours away from the 2018 City of Brandon Municipal Election (October 24^th, polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., if you haven’t heard).

 Early in my campaign, I established a list of five priorities if I were to be elected in the South Centre Ward (BTW, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so it’s great to see other candidates picking up on some of my initial priorities including replacement of the South End Community Centre).

 

 After speaking with residents in the South Centre Ward, I’ve modified my priorities slightly to include several other items, and below I've provided my rationale behind those items.

 

 Reminder - the Brandon Chamber of Commerce is hosting a 'meet'n'greet' with council candidates today (October 22) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel & Suites. IT IS OPEN TO ALL BRANDON RESIDENTS, and not just Chamber members. I'll be there, and I'd be happy to answer whatever questions you may have.
 

 

  Luebke Priorities
 

·         Establish a Committee of Council to report to Mayor and Council on the Addiction problem in Brandon. Use this committee to lobby the provincial government for more tools and services to address the problem in our community.

 

Rationale: We have a Poverty Committee at City Hall consisting of three councillors and three community members at-large. An Addiction Committee would allow for the coordination of opportunities and identify resources that may help curb the crisis in Brandon. The committee would also be a united voice to lobby the Provincial Government for the needs of our community.

 

·         Partner with Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College to launch a HomeStay program in the City of Brandon.

 

Rationale: Students attending BU and ACC require adequate living accommodations, and matching students (particularly International students) with families in the community with extra space could be a win-win situation. The host families and tenants (students) are vetted by a third-party, with payment of rent also coordinated by the third party. Students are held to the same standard they would be if they were living in residence as far as behaviour and responsibilities. Host families could have an extra source of income, which might be appealing to those on a fixed income.

 

·         Promote and encourage alternative public transportation opportunities, including CarShare, RideShare and RideMatching programs.

 

Rationale: We need to look for creative and innovative ideas to help those without their own modes of transportation the opportunity to move about our city without putting more taxpayer money into the Brandon Transit system. RideSharing and//or RideMatching could be initiated by third-parties for people who work at the same business or attend school at the same institution.

 

·         Increase by-law enforcement accountability, and streamline for the process for residents to report issues and see results.

 

Rationale: Residents are frustrated with the lack of response(real or perceived) from by-law enforcement officers on minor nuisances in their neighbourhoods. They especially point out that ‘nothing if ever done.’ By establishing a ‘tracking system’ for complaints, we’d allow more transparency into what is done with these complaints, even if it is the fact they aren’t breaking the nuisance by-law.

 

·         Explore the City of Brandon’s current economical development strategy when it comes to attracting new business and industry, including any possible incentive packages.

 

Rationale: It’s been nearly 20 years since Maple Leaf set up shop in Brandon, the last major industry and/or business to do so. If there something more we could be doing to attract major business or industry to our city? Could we establish an incentive package matrix based on a number of factors, including job creation, economic impact and location? Is our ED department adequately staffed?  Would should also remember how job creation would impact other issues, including poverty.

 

·         Encourage a city-wide audit to determine the City of Brandon’s staffing levels and priorities moving forward.

 

Rationale: Does the City of Brandon have too much staff? Not enough staff? Too much staff in one department and not enough in others? I don’t have answers to those questions, but I’d like to find out. Ultimately, I’m curious to find out if we have enough ‘boots on the ground’ to deal with the day-to-day maintenance in the City of Brandon, or if we have too many salaries tied up in mid-management.

 

·         Create more recreational and/or green space opportunities for the citizens of Brandon.

 

Rationale: The City of Brandon has lagged behind even small communities in Western Manitoba when it comes to creating recreational options for our residents (e.g. WaterParks in Souris & Wawanesa). We need to provide more green space and recreational options for our residents, especially for our young families.

 

·         Replace the South End Community Centre, which has been closed for several months, and explore creating a recreational hub on the site.

 

Rationale: Community Centres play an important role in providing people with the opportunity to work and organize together for the benefit of their local communities, including adult education, social and cultural activities. The reservoir at the site could make it difficult to build a full recreation hub, but we should try to maximize the green space in the area. And, hey, could we establish the recreation hub at the ‘almost done’ pool located at the Keystone Centre.

 

·         Map out a long-term plan for upgrades to street infrastructure in the South Centre Ward, including replacement the current gravel shoulders with pavement, curbs, and sidewalks.

 

Rationale: Not a short-term project, but over the next (10-15?) years, we need to stay paving the gravel shoulders in the Ward and establishing curbs on, at the very least, some of the main streets. This plan should be funded under the existing streets budget.

 

 

·         Keep our children safe by ensuring school zone speed limits and adequate crosswalk signage exists on all four sides of our schools.

 

Rationale: We need to expand our school zone speed limit (30 km/h) to include all four sides of the school (e.g. There is no reduction in speed on the south side of Betty Gibson school, between 11^thand 12^th Street on College Avenue). We should also look at providing better signage (including lights, if financially viable) for busy crosswalks.

 

·         Explore establishing a ‘pet protection’ by-law to provide protection for pets against cruelty, abuse and neglect. Part of the by-law would include penalties for leaving pets out in harsh winter or summer conditions.

 

Rationale: The province’s Animal Care Act needs to be applied to the City of Brandon, to ensure pets aren’t being mistreated by their owners. If a separate by-law needs to be enacted, we should do so. We should also expand by-law enforcement’s responsibilities to not only include Animal Control but Animal Care as well.

Innovative & Creative (By-Law Enforcement)

 One of the discussions I’ve had with numerous people as I’ve toured the South Centre Award over the past month is by-law enforcement.

 The underlining motivation for most of these people is to keep their neighbourhood looking as clean, presentable and safe as possible, and wanting to hold those that live close to them to a certain standard when it comes to their property.

 The frustration for most of these people is that they don’t see the results they’d like when they report issues, and that’s why I believe we need to review how the City of Brandon’s by-law enforcement works.

 The first and most obvious step is to determine whether the City of Brandon has enough by-law officers on the ground, investigating these nuisances on a timely basis. According to the 2017 City of Brandon Compensation Report, there are currently seven by-law enforcement officers on staff.

 By-law officers in Brandon have additional responsibilities including animal control and process service (delivering court related documents).

 The City of Brandon’s Nuisance Bylaw is nine pages long, and includes everything from noise violations to derelict vehicles to the maximum height of grass on a property.

 The second is to make it easier for citizens to report suspected by-law violations, and be informed about the end result.

 I would propose a system that encourages citizens to report suspected by-law infractions, both via a dedicated phone line and by the use of an online service request form.

 By-law enforcement can be, largely, a complain driven aspect for the City of Brandon, and I believe the easier we make it for citizens to not only report issues but find out what’s been done.

 I believe the follow-up portion of the process is an important one, and is helps maintain trust, keeps avenues open and encourages citizen participation.

 At the very least, by-law enforcement (including number of complaints, number of issues resolved and followups with complainants) could be added to the City of Brandon’s Corporate Scorecard.

 The City of Regina has a system that seems to work effectively, and might be the one we could model a City of Brandon system after.

 It allows citizens to fill out a service request form, and you check a box to indicate whether you would like a reply.

 It also ensures any personal information provided by the complainant is confidential, and will not be disclosed to the subject of the complaint.

Here are the details, followed by a sample of the online service request form.

 

Report Suspected Bylaw Infractions

Suspected bylaw violations can be submitted to Service Regina by calling 306-777-7000 or using the online service request form. To aid staff in responding to your complaint in a timely manner, please be ready with the following information:

• Your name and phone number for contact, if follow-up is required
• The address and location of the property for which you are submitting a complaint
• A short and concise description of the complaint

Any personal information you provide is confidential and will not be disclosed to the subject of the complaint.

What happens after I submit a bylaw complaint?

• Service Regina enters your complaint (i.e., service request) into the computer system and it is forwarded to the Bylaw Enforcement Branch.
• The assigned officer will visit the location of the complaint to conduct an initial inspection. Depending on the volume of complaints and available City resources, it may take several days before an initial inspection occurs. Complaints are handled on a priority basis.
• If there appears to be a bylaw violation, the officer will take appropriate action to achieve compliance, depending on the type of violation.

 

Creative & Innovative (Affordable Housing)

 As I brought up in Thursday's post, we need to be innovative and creative when it comes to addressing some of the issues in the City of Brandon.
 Today, I want to discuss what I believe could be some effective approaches to affordable housing.
 I think that when many people reflect on affordable housing, they think 'houses', and not living accommodations as a whole.
 One idea I believe has some merit when it comes to finding adequate living accommodations for people, particular post-secondary students and seasonal workers (such as the pipeline workers currently in Brandon), is a HomeStay program.
 A HomeStay program isn't a new idea, and has had positive results in other communities.
 The program could be administered through Brandon University, Assiniboine Community College or through the City of Brandon with support from those two institutions.
 The program, effectively, matches people willing to open their homes to 'house' students or workers in exchange for a fee or rent.
 By having a third party coordinate the program, you have the ability to vet both the home owners and the tenants before matching the two together.
 This ensures the living accommodation (room or basement) being rented by the tenant is clean, safe and adequate for the tenants needs while the 'landlord' also has the knowledge that their tenant has gone through a similar vetting process.
 In addition, the payment of 'rent' could go through the third party, to ensure there are no late payments or issues in that regard.
 I live in close proximity (within a seven minute walk) of Assiniboine Community College and could, potentially, rent the finished basement of my house to a student.
 However, the prospect of placing an ad or ads to find a tenant, vetting those potential tenants, the potential for 'issues' with that tenant, and the hassle of collecting rent on a monthly basis makes it a less than desirable experience.
 A HomeStay program might make it easier, as those negative experiences are no longer in my hands.
 As an added benefit, a HomeStay program might be beneficial to empty nesters who still live in the homes where they raised their family, and now have the extra space.
 This extra income to help offset costs, essentially helping these people stay in their homes for a longer period of time.
 Lakehead University (Thunder Bay) started a HomeStay program for international students in 2013, and currently provides:

• Competitive compensation rates of $775 with meal plan, $550 without meal plan (meals would be provided at the University's Food Services Program).
• Social events
• Regular communication with the Homestay Coordinator & 24 Hour emergency number

 The program also boasts that 'Lakehead’s international students, as well as the people and families who host them, benefit from the experience in many ways — culturally, financially, and personally.'

 In addition to the HomeStay program, here are some other ideas that may be worth exploring:

• Community Land Trust - CLT's buy up parcels of land and place them in community ownership through non-profit. Anyone who develops property on the land owned by the CLT has to adhere to cost guidelines set by the community, pegged to the median incomes of people within the CLT (not to market rates). The parcels of land are bought using a combination of public and private funds.
• The City of Brandon currently partners with organizations like Habitat for Humanity by providing land (property) to building housing for low-income families. If there the ability to expand on that current partnership, or former partnerships with other not-for-profit organizations.
• Bridge-Housing - this has been an effective strategy in high-density cities in Canada. The basic premise is developers purchasing 'air-rights' above adjacent properties, and building on top of those existing structures. Of course, safety guidelines to reinforce those existing structures to the handle the construction of a second and/or third floor would have to be strictly followed and enforced.

Top Ten Things You Might Not Know About Me

• I am a member of the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters' Association Roll of Honour (basically, the organization's Hall of Fame).
• For the last eight years I was employed at CKLQ/STAR-FM, I was also the Assistant News Director (and a 7-month stint as interim News Director), covering the municipal 'beat' on multiple occasions.
• Alongside the incomparable Bill Turner, I anchored our stations' coverage of the 2011 flood in Brandon (Westman) including the twice-daily updates from City Hall.
• Earlier this decade, I spent three years attending night classes at Assiniboine Community College (Continuing Studies) to obtain a Management Skills Certificate.
• I am a Level IV certified Softball Canada umpire, the Umpire-in-Chief for the Westman/Parkland region and sit on Softball Manitoba's Umpire Development Committee.
• I was inducted into Softball Canada's Indicator's Club (recognizing volunteer contributions to the Softball Canada Umpire Program) in 2013.
• I have been host committee chair for Softball Manitoba Championships held in the City of Brandon the last six years, and we've secured the 2019 Softball Manitoba U14 'A' Girls' Championship for next July at the Ashley Neufeld Softball Complex.
• My mother's cousin, Garth Boesch, won three Stanley Cups as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs (1947, 1948 & 1949).
• I was one of several (close to 50) junior hockey play-by-play announcers whose story was told in a book entitled Hockey Talk: Stories Behind the Voice by M. Gordon Hunter.
• My name was added to Hansard (Manitoba Legislature Transcript) during the 41st Legislature in May of 2016 by request of current Brandon West MLA Reg Helwer as part of the roll call for the 2016 WHL Champion Brandon Wheat Kings.

Bonus

• I was an extra, and made a brief appearance in the movie 'Keep You Head Up; The Don Cherry Story' that was partially filmed in Brandon.

Ward System Debate

Charles Tweed, the former city editor at The Brandon Sun and current owner of Tweedia, went on a self-described 'rant' on twitter last night discussing the City of Brandon's current Ward system to electing City Council members (@CharlesTweed if you want to check it out). Charles lives in a Ward without race for council, meaning he won't get a vote in the municipal election next Wednesday.

 

 

This morning, I responded with my thoughts on the Ward system vs. the at-large voting system.

 

1/10 Charles - a saw your self-described 'rant' this morning on the Ward system vs. the at-large system for the City of Brandon municipal election , and thought I'd respond. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

2/10 As a first-time candidate, one of the difficulties I've found is balancing the campaign with work and family/personal time. The municipal election continues to be largely a ‘boots on the ground’ campaign. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

3/10 In the current Ward system, I have the ability to walk the entirety of South Centre as part of the campaign, but would struggle to cover the entire city in a city-wide format. I believe the city-wide format would make it even more difficult for new people to be elected to council. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

4/10 That would then place more emphasis on campaign materials, including signage, which would also make it difficult for individuals to run because of the increased financial responsibility of getting their message. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

5/10 Remember, a council candidate can spend a maximum of $4,500, only $750 of which can be their own money. So, candidates would have to fundraise and/or receive more contributions to be elected, which could come from special interest groups. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

6/10 The fact there is no mayoral race in Brandon this year is a bit of an anomaly (hadn’t happened since 1993), but I think going to a city-wide council election system would actually decrease the number of people interested in running, especially for council seats. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

7/10 There would also be the possibility of all (or majority) of council coming from one area of the city, giving the perception (if not the reality) of favouritism toward that area in decisions that are made a council table. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

8/10 Post-election, having each council member responsible for certain area in the city (I believe) makes it easier for residents to know who to reach out to when they have an issue or problem. If council was city-wide, who would I call? #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

9/10 Ultimately, it would be the councillors that made the extra effort to meet residents, return phone calls and emails that would quickly become the go-to people and those that didn’t, would have much less of those responsibilities despite garnering the same pay. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

10/10 Admittedly, the ward system isn’t perfect and, as you mentioned, you won’t get a chance to vote next Wednesday (although you should still get out and vote in the school board election) but I still feel it’s the best system for our city. #bdnmb #bdnvotes #luebke4southcentre

 

Innovative & Creative (Transit)

 I had the opportunity to speak at the Brandon University Students' Union Council Candidate Forum on Wednesday night at Harvest Hall on the BU Campus.
 Thanks to current BUSU president Justin Shannon and BUSU for organizing the event which, unfortunately, was not well attended.
 Originally, I had hoped to deliver most of this messaging at the forum, but thought it prudent to put this out in a more open forum for all residents of South Centre (and the City of Brandon) to see.
 One of the things I believe we need to be is innovative and creative in our approach to the future, particularly when it comes to tackling some of the issues facing our community.
 I've noticed several times during the municipal campaign that some candidates are good at pointing out problems, but aren't quite as good at providing possible ideas that might help resolve those problems.
 For example, the cash freeze from the provincial government on transit funding during the last budget process led to a $230,000 shortfall for the City of Brandon, which led to the decision to alter a couple of routes and the eliminate or cut back on the service available on Sunday's and statutory holidays.
 In a perfect world, I think we'd all like to see that service restored, but I think I'm safe to say  the province isn't going to restore their funding to the previous level (in other words, 'lobby the provincial government for more funding isn't a viable solution, in my opinion), and I'd have a tough time increasing property taxes to specifically go to the Brandon Transit system.
 So, we left with looking into other solutions.
 The Car Share program being discussed at a workshop this Saturday at the Cultural Resource Centre in Brandon is one creative idea that may help people secure viable transportation in our city.

 A RideShare or RideMatching program, which is already being advocated by GoManitoba, is another possible alternative.
 The CarShare, RideShare and/or RideMatching programs could also be part of the solution to replace the Greyhound bus service, which will cease it's operations in Manitoba soon.
 Talking with a local owner of a bus company in Brandon recently, he doesn't feel there's a way for a private business to make money on a province-wide bus service.
 However, I can't help but wonder if a 'casino-style' bus trip from Brandon to Winnipeg and back would be viable. In that scenario, you basically pick and drop all passengers off at one place at one time, but maybe it's two high-traffic places in Winnipeg (Health Sciences Centre & Polo Park?) and someplace adjacent to the TransCanada Highway on the North Hill in Brandon.
 I would also look at whether we're maximizing our advertising and marketing revenues in Brandon Transit, and by that I mean could we be selling more advertising space to local businesses on our buses, shelters, etc.
 What about partnering with the Brandon School Division on a UPass for High School students (credit to Stephen Montague for that idea)?
 Or a year-round pass for frequent users at a set price?
 I can't tell you all those ideas are viable, but they might be something looking into.
 Here's some more notes for you...

• Government of Manitoba announced details of the RAMM clinic in Brandon earlier today. It'll be located at the 7th Street Access Centre (more information here). It's a start, but there's still a lot more work to do to address addiction in our community. I proposed last night at the BUSU Forum that the City look into organization an Addiction and Mental Health Committee, similar to the Poverty Committee, which could include members of City Council and representation from organizations who deal with those issues on a regular basis.
• Also at the BUSU Forum last night, I expanded on my idea for replacing the closed South End Community Centre to include a possible partnership with the Brandon School Division for something that could also be beneficial to Neelin High School (which is ride across the street).  South Centre does not include a city-maintained Park so making sure the area is maintained as green space is important, though I recognize there may be some challenges in creating a recreational hub at the location due to the underground reservoir there.
• What would you think about a City-Wide recreational hub? Community Centre aren't generally part of the new developments that are occurring in our city, so is it possible to create an area for those citizens to enjoy their family time? Perhaps a bigger version of the Valleyview Recreational Hub is something to discuss, including an attractive outdoor pool and waterpark.
• If you haven't seen the CTV Winnipeg coverage of the election in Brandon that aired this past Monday, you can access it here.
• Final chance to 'grill' the candidates is the Brandon Chamber of Commerce Open House on Monday (October 22) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Clarion Hotel & Suites.
• Advance polls are open today (October 18th) from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday (October 20) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Main Foyer at City Hall.

Survey Says!

 

 Out of all the things I was prepared for when I entered the municipal election campaign, the one that has been a bigger time commitment than I anticipated is the number of organizations that contact you to fill out their surveys/questionnaires.

 At last count, there were eight that have been sent to me over the past month, only half of which are from local organizations (which, to be honest, are the ones I've focused on).

 Two of those were from the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and the Brandon Area Realtors.  My responses to their questions are posted below.

 Meanwhile, here's a few news & notes...

•  The Chamber is hosting a City Councillor Candidates Reception next Monday (October 22) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel & Suites on Victoria Avenue.
•  I'll be participating in the Brandon University Students' Union Municipal Election Forum this Wednesday (October 17) from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Harvest Hall (BU Dining Hall). I am scheduled to take questions from students from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. at that event.
• Advance voting continues this week, running Thursday (October 18) from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday (October 20) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Main Foyer at City Hall. More information can be found at https://brandonvotes.ca/elector-info/alternative-voting-opportunities
• I was quoted in a recent story in The Brandon Sun regarding the anticipated voter turnout for the October 24th election (https://www.brandonsun.com/local/candidates-dont-anticipate-a-strong-voter-turnout-496806131.html). While I feel voter turnout won't be anywhere near the 40% mark of the past two municipal elections, I encourage you to PROVE ME WRONG.  As I've usually closed my conversations with residents in the South Centre Ward so far during this campaign 'You don't have to vote for me, but you should get out and vote.'

Brandon Chamber of Commerce Survey

• 

 

Brandon Area Realtors

 



 

 

Since Charles Asked

  Nine days ago, former city editor at The Brandon Sun and current owner of Tweedia, threw out this question on Twitter…

 

  As soon as I saw it, I thought this was somewhat in my wheelhouse, as my background is largely associated with sports and recreational organizations and facilities.

Keystone Centre

Westoba Place is currently one of the oldest buildings being used by a team in the Western Hockey League (in fact, I believe it’s the oldest).  It opened in April of 1973, and I’ve told a few people in the last couple of years that citizens of Brandon don’t realize it yet, but we’ll soon be facing the prospect of replacing the main arena at the Keystone Centre.  I believe planning needs to begin in the next four years.  To be clear, I’m not saying we need to commit to anything, but we need to start thinking about it.  As a prospective, Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw cost about 61 million dollars when it was built eight years ago, and in current dollars, that would equate to about 72 million dollars.

Sportsplex

The Sportsplex is an annual money loser for the City of Brandon (usually around $1,000,000 per year), but serves a purpose as a recreational facility for residents. It was built in the mid 1970’s, which means it will soon be 50 years old.  A replacement might be part of a larger project in Brandon (see below).

City of Brandon Park

  I have an idea about the creation of a large ‘recreational hub’ in Brandon that could include some type of large building, surrounded by green space.

  I’ve referred to this as a mini ‘Canada Games Sports for Life Centre’ for our City – a facility which could include:

• A Field House that would also include office space for the various sports organizations operating in the City of Brandon.
• Other items that could be included in the building might be a gymnasium, workout space, elevated classroom, and conference room.
• A portion of the space could be dedicated to a Brandon Sports Hall of Fame.  As part of that, perhaps an agreement could be worked out with the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame for a rotation of exhibits that have a Westman or Brandon theme.
• The facility could be surrounded green space for the development of soccer pitches, football field, cricket field, an outdoor rink, splash park, outdoor swimming pool, skating oval, etc.  In other words, a recreational area for use by all of the City’s residents.

   I looked at the City of Saskatoon, and the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, which has upgraded itself in recent years to include opportunities for ten different sports to use the Complex.  Closer to home, take a drive 90 minutes West and look at what the Town of Moosomin has established for its’ recreational opportunities at Bradley Park (http://www.moosomin.com/parksandrec/)

Other Thoughts/Questions

• I feel that one of the things holding back the further development of recreational facilities and opportunities in Brandon is the inability of sports organizations to work together.  I would like to see the City of Brandon take a lead role in establishing some type of Brandon Sports Alliance that would include representation from sports organizations and/or facilities in Brandon.
• Is there an opportunity to use the green space available in the infield at UCT Stadium (there's an area approximately 110 yards long and 60 yards wide of grass there).
• I see the Optimist Soccer Park is back in use.  Does this alleviate the need for a soccer only complex?
• Why is the City directly involved in supplying a facility for some sports (i.e. golf) and not others?
• Is an updated Recreation Master Plan in order?  The last one was completed more than ten years ago.

  I haven’t seen another candidate for council respond to Charles, but I’d be interested to see what others thought.

  See you on the campaign trail.

Bruce

Great Exchange of Ideas

  Thanks to Kim Longstreet and the organizers of last night's #thisismycommunity Town Hall at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Brandon.
  I was happy to be involved as one of the 19 candidates for the next City Council, but also to hear from other candidates on their thoughts and ideas on the five main issues on the discussion table (addiction, poverty, bigotry, mental health and crime).
  From my own standpoint, I'd have to say I feel more educated on the issues than I did before this exercise, and I can also say I've continued to research these issues in the time between submitting my initial response(s) and last night's Town Hall.
  I will continue to educate myself, and if I'm fortunate enough to represent South Centre on the next City Council, look forward to working with Mayor Chrest and other councillors on trying to address these issues.
  While I've already posted my response(s) to the 15 pre-questions, everyone in attendance also received the responses from every candidate during last night's function.  It's a 32-page document, but if you're interested in reading, here's it is.
  Other notes today...

• I'll be meeting with Michael Lee of The Brandon Sun to discuss the South Centre Ward particularly.  Michael has been doing profiles on each ward and the candidates the last couple of Saturday editions of The Sun and it's South Centre's turn.
• I've had a couple of additional requests for signs, but still have a handful left.  If anyone is interested in displaying their support, you can contact me at 204-730-2142 or luber@wcgwave.ca and I'll be happy to drop a sign off.
• The Brandon Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Federation of Independent Business have both sent questionaires/survey's to fill out, which I hope to complete in the next couple of days.
• Received an invite to a candidate's forum put on by BUSU (Brandon University Student's Union) on October 17th.  I'm going to try and fit it into my schedule and attend, if possible.

See you on the campaign trail.

Bruce