The Manitoba government is donating all of the external visitation shelters installed at personal care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic to First Nations, not-for-profit and co-operative organizations, and municipalities throughout the province to be repurposed to benefit communities, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma announced on June 16.
In a media release, Teitsma said “We commissioned these visitation shelters during the pandemic so personal care home residents could spend quality time visiting with their families in secure, accessible spaces. Now that they are no longer required for this purpose, we are donating them for a range of other wonderful uses for the continued benefit of Manitobans.”
The minister noted that 27 proponents have been selected through an open expression of interest to receive the 104 shelters. Specifically, the Department of Consumer Protection and Government Services will donate 43 shelters to First Nations communities, 55 shelters to not-for-profit and community support organizations, and six shelters to municipalities.
The shelters will be repurposed for housing and accommodations, recreation and sports, animal care, vegetation, farming and other uses.
The proponents selected by the department for shelters include:
– Assiniboine Park Conservancy;
– Bear Clan Patrol;
– Bloodvein River First Nation;
– Breidavik Nyja Island Historical Library and Resource Centre;
– Co-operative Geothermal Greenhouse Initiative;
– Dakota Tipi First Nation;
– K9 Advocates Manitoba;
– Keepem Rollin;
– Long Plain First Nation;
– Northlands Denesuline First Nation/Northco Management;
– Norway House Cree Nation;
– Oak Park Raiders Football Club Alumni Association;
– Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation;
– Rugby Manitoba;
– Rural Municipality of Argyle;
– Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet;
– Sandy Lake Drop-in Centre;
– SCORE Store;
– Shoal Lake Splash Park Community;
– St. James Optimist and St. James-Assiniboia Minor Baseball Association;
– Swan Valley Historical Society (Museum);
– The John Howard Society;
– Thunderhill Ski Club;
– Vita Food Bank;
– Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre;
– Winnipeg Folk Festival; and
– York Factory First Nation.
“The visitation shelters donated by the Manitoba government will provide the Assiniboine Park Zoo with a cost-effective, sustainable and flexible solution to ongoing infrastructure challenges and accelerate the modernization of the zoo as we strive to meet the ever-rising standards for animal care and welfare and expand our contribution to wildlife conservation, research, rescue and education,” said Dr. Chris Enright, senior director of zoological operations, Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “We are grateful for this opportunity and the province’s support of Assiniboine Park Zoo.”
The selected proponents will be responsible for all costs related to transporting the shelters to their new locations, the minister noted.
