Dauphin has a radon problem.

Participating in the latest 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge through Take Action on Radon and BC Lung, the community had confirmed what was widely known, radon levels in the city are well above Health Canada guidelines.

Targetting communities where radon testing has thus far been limited, but where there is a potential for homes to have elevated radon levels, the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge program provides municipalities the means to provide up to 100 test kits to citizens for free.

In Dauphin 200 test kits were distributed to monitor radon levels for a period of 90 days. A community report following processing of the kits showed that 92 per cent of the homes tested were above the Health Canada guideline of  200 becquerels per cubic metre.

And while that number might not mean much to people, radon - a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in every building in Canada as a result of the breakdown of uranium in the ground - is a serious problem, said deputy city manager Lisa Gaudet.

“Dauphin has been identified as having one of the highest rates of radon in the soil in Canada, not just in Manitoba, but in Canada,” Gaudet said.

“It is critical that we get the messaging out there. I think that because radon is odourless and you can’t see it, people don’t want to really face the fact that it’s a risk to their health. And it is a serious risk. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. More than 3,000 people in Canada die each year from radon-related lung cancer.”

To address the problem Gaudet has prepared a proposal for  Health Canada’s Radon Outreach Contribution Program for $45,000 to support the roll-out of a  three-year Radon Action Plan for Dauphin.

As radon levels vary, even between neighbouring houses, the only way for homeowners to determine their home’s radon level is to test for it.

Given that, the main thrust of the proposal is for the City to spearhead an additional 100 Radon Test Kit Challenges annually over three years, each November, which is Radon Awareness Month, Gaudet said.

Find the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

Dauphin city council is currently weighing its options when it comes to a pilot project on Second Avenue Northwest to create a craft district in the city’s core.

Dauphin Economic Development manager Martijn van Luijn began exploring the initiative at the request of council last year.

“They were looking to find a conceptual idea about how we can make Second Avenue Northwest as more of a destination, where people actually stop and hang out and play,” van Luijn said, adding with a craft brewery, a small butcher shop, a sign maker and a bakery already on the street, with a Creative Common set to open, the idea of a Craft District seemed to fit.

“So there’s a unique opportunity to create something and it’s the  second busiest entrance to town. When you drive in . . . okay, this is who we are, this is our identity. Welcome to Dauphin.”

Urban Systems was contracted to help develop the plan, based on input from city administration, council and the public, through an open house held in April.

“Now it’s really up to council because (the plan) presented some low hanging fruit, easy solutions that don’t cost a lot of money,” van Luijn said.

Those options include things such as murals, planting more trees or creating temporary patios  in the parking lanes.

“You give up one parking spot. You see them in other communities all the time,” van Luijn said.

“Or creating visual ways of slowing traffic. It doesn’t have to be an obstacle, it could be paint on the road, for example. There’s all kinds of solutions.”

The plan also includes  longer-term strategies such as taking advantage of the extra width on the street to widen sidewalks.

“Which creates a much more attractive shopping street where you can plant more trees and have benches and that kind of stuff,” van Luijn said.

“Those are higher capital intensive, so that is presented as more of a long-term strategy.”

The options have been presented to council now as planning for 2025 is underway and van Luijn hopes some of the ideas are included in next year’s capital program.

The potential benefits of a successful pilot are tremendous, he added.

“I’m calling it a pilot project because if we can create an identity for this street, we could do it in other places, as well, and that just makes our downtown even more attractive,” van Luijn said.

“I follow a community economic development principle, which means let’s create a community in which we all choose to live first and everything else and will follow.”

A byelection is set for Oct. 30 to fill four vacant positions on the Mountain View School Division board of trustees.

The polling will seek to identify two trustees in Ward 1, which covers the Municipality of Roblin.

One trustee is to be elected in Ward 2, which encompasses the Municipality of Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains Municipality, Grandview Municipality and a portion of the RM of Mountain.

Finally one trustee will be identified in Ward 4 to represent the city of Dauphin.

The Ward 2 seat became vacant this past March when trustee Charlene Gulak resigned from the board to pursue a professional opportunity.

The other seats at the board table became vacant when trustees Scott McCallum, Floyd Martens and Liefa Misko stepped away from the board in early June after superindent/CEO Stephen Jaddock was fired without cause during a special board meeting, May 31.

For the three, the firing was the last straw in a series of events they considered “dark and repressive,” highlighted by a presentation on residential schools by trustee Paul Coffey, which was widely condemned as racist and prompted Manitoba Education Minister Nello Altomare to launch a governance review of the division.

Altomare eventually appointed a three-person oversight panel comprised of Manitoba Métis Federation vice-president Frances Chartrand, Brandon School Division trustee Jim Murray and Manitoba Teachers’ Society staff officer Andrea Zaroda, to assist in navigating board and staff turnover, strengthening governance practices, and community relations and to “ensure that MVSD progresses on key priorities, such as diversity, inclusion and reconciliation.”

Candidate packages for the byelection can be picked up at the Mountain View School Division office, beginning today.

All nominations need to be made in writing and be signed by at least 25 voters, or not less than one per cent of voters in the ward, whichever is less. In all cases, nomination papers need to be signed by at least two voters.

Each nomination must also be accompanied by the candidate’s declaration of qualification.

Nominations may be filed in person at the Mountain View School Division office, Sept. 18, 19, 20, 23 and 24, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The papers may also be filed by fax or by a candidate’s official agent.

For more information contact senior election official Kirk Dawson at 204-621-7165 or the MVSD office by phone at 204-638-3001 or by fax at 204-638-7250.

Dauphin city council reviewed property tax collection reports at its regular meeting, Aug. 19, which show 2024 with the largest outstanding balance in the days after the July 31 due date.

Compared to the previous eight years, the $1,786,975.30 of the $10,749,453.24 in 2024 assessed taxes as of Aug. 31, is the highest at 16.62 per cent.

The  next highest percentage was in 2021 when 13.97 per cent remained outstanding at Aug. 3.

The reason for this year’s jump, city manager Sharla Griffiths said, is hard to pin down.

“Maybe the economy. People are just not able to pay,” she said, adding delays with tax bills being mailed out might also have contributed.

“We did have a challenge with the new system, the the new tax bills that came out from the province.”

Those tax bills included the entire school tax rebate rather than half of the rebate as in previous years.

“The province prints those those colourful pink and blue papers and they basically push to our accounting systems how much everybody has to pay, everybody’s outstanding balances,” Griffiths said.

“We usually mail our invoices out at the end of May, beginning of June. It gives a couple of months to pay. This year we mailed them out about one month ahead of time because the province had not given us that push for what people owed.”

While a few percentage points might not seem like lot, when you are working with a budget of several million dollars, it adds up quickly.

With as much as $.5 million or $.6 million in property taxes going unpaid from year to year, the more that can be collected the better, Griffiths said.

“We operate with a line of credit throughout the year, anyway. But we’re always happy when taxes are all paid, because we don’t have to go into that line of credit,” she said.

“However, between now and July 31, 2025, we might have to go into that line of credit earlier.”

Expect recreation in Dauphin to look a little different in 2025 compared to the past.

In light of an RM resolution indicating “the RM of Dauphin has decided to terminate their participation in the Dauphin Recreation Services Board and terminate the Dauphin Recreation Services Agreement effective December 31, 2024,” city councillors, senior city managers and managers from Dauphin Recreation Services formed a special planning group to deal with impending funding shortfalls.

RM council has since affirmed its commitment to recreation and by resolution on July 23 provided $375,000 in funding to DRS for 2025 operations and capital expenditures.

While Dauphin mayor Daivid Bosiak is pleased RM council has provided some funding for recreation this year, the work of the special planning group will continue.

“We’re moving ahead with 2025 based on what we know and that’s going to mean changes to DRS operations, programs, facilities, those are still to be determined,” Bosiak said.

“There will be some kind of, I’m calling it at this point adjustments because even with the $375,000 that the RM has committed by resolution . . . that’s still a couple hundred thousand, short of what we need. The city, who has been backfilling since 2017, we’re at our max of being able to back fill. So the only other option is DRS has to find more money somewhere, raise more money, or reduce costs somehow.”

Bosiak added the special planning group is focused on the coming year and “will not be delayed or diverted by any issues.” The City, he added, is looking forward to productive talks with the RM about recreation in 2026 and beyond.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

While Doug Hedley has a good idea of what he has to work with for the coming Manitoba Junior Hockey League season, the Dauphin Kings head coach and general manager will get his first look at all of his options in one place when the club hosts its fall training camp, Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.

And while all aspects of the game will under scrutiny, Hedley will focussing on finding some offense. With players such as Aiden Murray, Brett Magarrell, Ty Pratte, Sam Swanton and Naaman Hofer set to return, defence is not Hedley’s firsat concern.

“The back end is probably one of our strengths. We have four or five solid returning kids, so we’re looking at being real strong on the back end, mobile and physical and heavy,” Hedley said.

“Then we throw in some guys that we had at prospect camps. We had some real good kids.”

It has been an up and down summer for Hedley. On one hand he has been able to add some quality prospects to the roster. On the other, he has had to deal with the departure of Trey Gnetz and Charlie Sandven who have joined teams in the North American Hockey League.

“There’s so many options for players now and all players have advisors,” Hedley said, adding the problem has been compounded with the British Columbia Hockey League and five Alberta Junior Hockey League teams recently choosing to operate outside of Hockey Canada’s system. 

“They just come in and talk to your best players because they can.”

At one point this summer, Hedley was dealing with the idea of losing goaltender Cole Sheffield - arguably the top netminder in the league last season - to a BCHL club. However, he has since learned Sheffield will return to play for the Kings this season.

Read the full story in this week’s Dauphin Herald.

The Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School Clippers football team has begun practising for the upcoming Rural Manitoba Football League season.

And while there will be some holes to fill from last year’s Murray Black Cup winning roster, head coach Gerald Lopez likes the way things are shaping up.. 

“I think we’ll be competitive,” Lopez said.

“We are probably getting on average about 25 players per practice. In the beginning there was a lot of younger players and now that the Summer Games is all done, all the veteran players are all returning.”

The team will have to adjust to the loss of graduating players Will Miner, Owen Tyschinski and Lars Gudbjartson, he added.

Miner was a  a powerhouse running back who went looking for contact. Last season he had ​87 carries for 828 yards with one touchdown and one fumble.

Tyschinski was an anchor on the Clippers’ offensive line and a force downfield on special teams while at six feet, five inches in height,

Gudbjartson was an imposing figure on the Clippers defensive line recording 18 tackles, six assists, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 2023.

And while Tyschinski and Gudbjartson are now plying their trade with the Westshore Rebels in Langford, B.C., there are some talented players ready to fill the holes they left.

“Sully Fox will be returning to lead our club in this year’s campaign. His presence defensively will set the tone of our game. I have no doubt in my mind defensive coach Tomkins will transform his defensive group to be, once again, the top unit the RMFL. Blake Thacker, Jackson Cheater and Brendon Higgins are expected to be leaders on our defence,” Lopez said.

“Zach Perih and Kingston Sterling will anchor our matured offensive line while Chaynes Paziuk and Russell Pelltier will be the downhill runners.”

Lopez added there is also a good crop of rookies looking to join the program including Ronin Mouke, Chase Glover, Alex Thompson and Julien Lopez.

“They will be rookies on the football field but are standout athletes in other sports such as hockey and rugby,” he said.

“I have no doubt they will provide an immediate impact to our club.”

While the schedule is still being adjusted to account for the Transcona Nationals not being able to join the league as expected, as it stands now the Clippers will open the season at home  Sept. 6, versus the Swan Valley Tigers.

“We’ll be competitive. They’ll be learning from the start, but we’ll bring it on as the season progresses,” Lopez said.

For half a century the Dauphin Friendship Centre (DFC) has been enhancing the quality of life in the community.

Incorporated in 1974 as one of 11 friendship centres in Manitoba, the DFC celebrated its 50th anniversary as a not-for-profit, charitable organization, recently.

The organization’s mission “to enhance the quality of life for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the community by working together to provide quality programs and services to meet the needs of our membership and the community at large”, has been largely met throughout the last five decades and will continue to be the focus in the future, said Susie Secord, who has been with the DFC since the beginning and is currently volunteering as the organization’s general manager until a new executive director can be recruited.

“We have come a long way since the first few years certainly,” Secord said.

“I remember when this building was purchased and it was the Beaver Lumber building. The back area was nothing more than a great big garage where the lumber was stored and the big trucks would come in and pick up. Now it’s a hall. The front part of the building was just an open area with offices along the wall.”

That kind of evolution only comes through a lot of hard work, Secord said, and a lot of people have committed themselves to the success of the DFC over the years.

“I’m really proud of our staff and everyone involved, she said.

“Our volunteers, it really warms my heart when I see the number of volunteers that we have, particularly for our hot lunch program. They’re faithful, they come back year after year and it’s a huge commitment. We couldn’t ask for a better group of volunteers really.”

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

For 59 years Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival has been a beacon of culture, celebrated among those of Ukrainian descent and shared with anyone wanting to experience the colourful, rich traditions of music, dance and food.

And everything is in place to continue the celebration this August long weekend at the Selo Ukraina site at the foot of Riding Mountain National Park, south of Dauphin, said CNUF president Kayla Gillis.

“We’re really looking forward to festival weekend. The ticket sales have been amazing and we are so grateful that patrons keep coming back year after year and they always bring somebody new with them,” Gillis said, adding she is eagerly anticipating a new twist this year that she is sure will delight the crowd.

“Our Saturday night grandstand, we’re doing something we’ve never done before. We’re bringing in a projection screen for a backdrop and Rusulka is coming to perform their show Voda. They are going to be using backdrop projection to be able to help tell the story line of the dance. So we will be utilizing a later grandstand on Saturday evening just so with the darkness, the projector will work better.”

Gillis is pleased that CNUF remains such a strong attraction at a time when other festivals are struggling to attract crowds. In fact, she said advance ticket sales are up about 15 per cent over the last two years.

“I do think it has a lot to do with the community and the surrounding communities that still want to support this cultural festival. I think a lot of it is just that connection that we have to Ukraine,” she said.

“And having a lot of the newcomers (Ukrainian immigrants fleeing the war in their homeland), as well. I do believe that is a factor.”

But even with a 59-year history there are many people who have never attended CNUF.

Come once and you will be hooked, Gillis said.

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.

With the zoning requirements now satisfied, work can progress on the development of a new child care facility in Dauphin.

At its regular meeting, July 15, Dauphin city council approved a conditional use application to allow for a 120 space child care facility on Dauphin Recreation Services land at the corner of  Sixth Avenue Southeast and Third Street Southeast.

Dauphin Economic Development manager Martijn van Luijn, who is spearheading the project for the city, said the design process is about two-thirds complete.

“We’re going to get ready for a Class B estimate. That means that the design is finalized, nothing will change, we’re meeting all the regulatory requirements, but now it’s about what nuts and bolts go where. All about the technical details, so that they can go out and tender this,” van Luijn said, adding an online call for suggestions for a facility name garnered about 45 entries and he will consult with the facility operator to decide.

Parkland Campus Kids was selected as the day care operator early in the process and van Luijn said the established child care organization has been instrumental in the design process.

“They’ve played an intergral role to decide which bench is going to go where and which toilet is needed and all that kind of stuff,” he said.

“So it’s been very neat to have them as part of that.”

Once those smaller design details have been finalized, the tender is expected to be issued sometime this fall.

“It’s all about the bid process and how quickly you can find a contractor to build it,” van Luijn said.

While that process unfolds, van Luijn hopes that site preparation can begin this fall to try and keep the project as close to the Mar. 31, 2025, deadline as possible.

“We’ve had some delays and we’re probably going to have to extend that deadline, but we have some flexibility there so we’re not worried about that. We would have loved to been ahead more at this point, but I guess with all the pressures in the industry and not having people available, it’s at a stand still at this point,” he said, adding people should expect to see some activity at the site before the snow flies.

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.