With the voting in Manitoba’s municipal election looming, Dauphin’s outgoing mayor is worried some Dauphin residents may be considering casting their vote based on misinformation about the City’s Craft District vision for Second Avenue.
“I’m worried that it has become a wedge issue,” mayor David Bosiak said, referring to recent social media posts being shared claiming malfeasance on the part of members of council and City staff throughout the process.
“At no point in the planning or approval process was coercion, improper influence, or any attempt to circumvent policy or established municipal procedures involved. All decisions were made through the City’s required public processes, with council exercising its authority independently. I can state unequivocally that neither councillor Steve Sobering nor Economic Development manager Martijn van Luijn exerted any undue influence over the development or approval of the plan. Any claims otherwise are simply false.”
The concept of a Craft District emerged through community consultations undertaken in 2022 and 2023 as part of the development of the City Plan, a process which involved not only the current council, but also its predecessors, with the assistance of consultants from Urban Systems. The resulting City Plan was unanimously approved by council.
As a result of that work, Dauphin’s Economic Development Committee - which Bosiak chaired - recommended the development of a downtown revitalization plan, an initiative which received unanimous support from council, Bosiak said.
Urban Systems was once again contracted to lead the process following a request for proposals issued by the City.
The consultants undertook a planning process, which ran for more than a year and a half, Bosiak said, and included consultations with council, city administration, businesses, and the public at large, along with considering best practices and approaches taken in other Manitoba and Western Canadian communities.
As a result of that process, Urban Systems presented council with the Craft District concept, which was unanimously approved.
“Funding associated with the initiative was included in two municipal budgets, both of which were subject to the City’s public budget process,” Bosiak said.
“While there were questions, there was no indication of public disapproval at that time.”
The idea of a craft district is related to a broader vision of tourism, he added, and offers an important opportunity for promotion of the community. When coupled with other attractions, such as the Northgate Trail System, could mean big things for the local economy.
“A whole bunch of people are coming to Clear Lake already. How do we get them up to Dauphin and Northgate for a day or for a day and a half? What do we need to have besides a bike trail system? Maybe a funky little bakery, an artisan meat shop, a brew pub, a couple of neat restaurants, maybe a couple little stores on Main Street,” Bosiak said.
“Dauphin has that and it’s attractive to tourists.”
It is also attractive to people looking relocate to Dauphin permanently, he added.
“To young professionals like lawyers, doctors, nurses, lab techs and other people that we need here. People that want to work in the justice center, people that want to work in the treatment center. They can fill their weekends right here,” Bosiak said, adding he has heard feedback to that effect from young RCMP officers, who have recently come to work in the city because of what it has to offer and because of its potential.
“Dauphin right now is top of the list in Manitoba of where young officers want to go.
“Our issues are very similar to other municipal issues in Manitoba and across the country, but our opportunities are very unique. We need to act on them.”