Work imminent to create ‘more vibrancy' with green space expansion near Burt
The City of Winnipeg set aside $890,000 to hire a company to redevelop the park, with work expected to begin in the late summer or early fall, city spokesman Kalen Qually said in an email.
Last year, the city realigned part of Smith Street toward King Street, closing the street space immediately in front of the theatre, which aimed to improve traffic flow and create more space for Odeon Park.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Those changes allow the park to grow to 970 square metres from about 335 square metres.
'The well-lit plaza will be about three times larger than the former Odeon Triangle Park, featuring a stage, seating, drinking water fountain and hard surface paving. A large sculptural feature created by a Manitoba artist will be installed, with the site bordered by tree and shrub plantings. The plaza will be available to the public in all four seasons and will be set up to complement programming at the theatre or allow separate events,' wrote Qually.
Before the street was realigned, the park was confined to the Smith Street and Notre Dame Avenue rights-of-way.
Mayor Scott Gillingham said the project will help add needed green space for downtown residents.
'We may not often think about the fact that the downtown is also a residential area for thousands and thousands of Winnipeggers … People in the downtown also need access to green space near their homes and businesses. So, I'm really excited about the expansion of that park,' said Gillingham.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
The winning bidder of the contract is expected to demolish many of the park's existing features and prepare it for a future water bottle filling station. The company will also install raised concrete planter walls, benches, a concrete stage with wood decking, a concrete surface, planting beds and plants and lighting, tender documents read.
City council's public works chairwoman said she expects the changes will help liven up the area around a popular theatre.
'It's going to add to neighbourhoods, it's going to add to the opportunity to create more vibrancy in our downtown. I know the theatre will be using it a lot for barbecue fests, music fests. It's going to be a great spot to activate, where people can come out and enjoy our city,' said Coun. Janice Lukes.
Lukes said the density of downtown can make green space scarce, so she expects the enlarged Odeon Park will also take pressure off other options, such as Old Market Square.
Related Articles
Bigger park, plaza considered for Burton Cummings Theatre
The Burt stretches its boundaries with outdoor event space
Scatliff-Miller-Murray developed the urban plaza design, while the park's expansion was deemed a 'high-impact' part of the city's downtown recovery strategy following the pandemic, wrote Qually.
True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Burton Cummings Theatre at 364 Smith St., had raised the initial request for the city to move the roadway toward King Street, a past city report notes. True North was one of several stakeholders consulted on the park's design, said Qually.
The tender calls for the winning contractor to complete the project by Oct. 29.
joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca
X: @joyanne_pursaga
Joyanne PursagaReporter
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Work imminent to create ‘more vibrancy' with green space expansion near Burt
Work to revamp an expanded Odeon Park adjacent to the Burton Cummings Theatre should start soon, with a goal to create a vibrant downtown green space. The City of Winnipeg set aside $890,000 to hire a company to redevelop the park, with work expected to begin in the late summer or early fall, city spokesman Kalen Qually said in an email. Last year, the city realigned part of Smith Street toward King Street, closing the street space immediately in front of the theatre, which aimed to improve traffic flow and create more space for Odeon Park. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Those changes allow the park to grow to 970 square metres from about 335 square metres. 'The well-lit plaza will be about three times larger than the former Odeon Triangle Park, featuring a stage, seating, drinking water fountain and hard surface paving. A large sculptural feature created by a Manitoba artist will be installed, with the site bordered by tree and shrub plantings. The plaza will be available to the public in all four seasons and will be set up to complement programming at the theatre or allow separate events,' wrote Qually. Before the street was realigned, the park was confined to the Smith Street and Notre Dame Avenue rights-of-way. Mayor Scott Gillingham said the project will help add needed green space for downtown residents. 'We may not often think about the fact that the downtown is also a residential area for thousands and thousands of Winnipeggers … People in the downtown also need access to green space near their homes and businesses. So, I'm really excited about the expansion of that park,' said Gillingham. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS The winning bidder of the contract is expected to demolish many of the park's existing features and prepare it for a future water bottle filling station. The company will also install raised concrete planter walls, benches, a concrete stage with wood decking, a concrete surface, planting beds and plants and lighting, tender documents read. City council's public works chairwoman said she expects the changes will help liven up the area around a popular theatre. 'It's going to add to neighbourhoods, it's going to add to the opportunity to create more vibrancy in our downtown. I know the theatre will be using it a lot for barbecue fests, music fests. It's going to be a great spot to activate, where people can come out and enjoy our city,' said Coun. Janice Lukes. Lukes said the density of downtown can make green space scarce, so she expects the enlarged Odeon Park will also take pressure off other options, such as Old Market Square. Related Articles Bigger park, plaza considered for Burton Cummings Theatre The Burt stretches its boundaries with outdoor event space Scatliff-Miller-Murray developed the urban plaza design, while the park's expansion was deemed a 'high-impact' part of the city's downtown recovery strategy following the pandemic, wrote Qually. True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Burton Cummings Theatre at 364 Smith St., had raised the initial request for the city to move the roadway toward King Street, a past city report notes. True North was one of several stakeholders consulted on the park's design, said Qually. The tender calls for the winning contractor to complete the project by Oct. 29. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Garden City grads pay it forward
Twenty-five years after walking the halls of their high school, they came back to reconnect — and ended up leaving something behind for those just beginning their journey. Garden City Collegiate Class of 2000 grads Melni Ghattora and Liette Kampic first floated the idea of a 20-year high school reunion back in 2020. But like many plans that year, it was sidelined by the pandemic. Determined to keep the idea alive, the pair regrouped in 2024 and pulled together a 12-person committee of fellow Class of 2000 grads, aiming for a more informal, social-style event. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Garden City Collegiate teacher Chris Pereira (right) calls graduating student Marisa Goncalves — winner of the Quiet Strength Award — an 'absolute standout.' 'We just wanted to bring people together. The buildup was exciting but we didn't know what to expect.' says Ghattora. 'It ended up turning into something so much bigger.' The event quickly grew beyond its original scope. A Facebook group sparked interest, and word-of-mouth helped it spread quickly. What began as a gathering for one graduating year evolved into a full-scale, all-years celebration in May this year, bringing together more than 400 alumni from the '80s, '90s and 2000s. It was a turnout that exceeded expectations, with more than double the number of attendees the organizers had hoped for. 'Our goal was simple. If we sold 200 tickets, we'd break even,' says Kampic. 'We were nervous we might not sell enough tickets, and even had a backup plan for a smaller space. But in the end, we didn't need it.' The success of the event wasn't just in the numbers — it was in the atmosphere it created. Old friends picked up right where they left off, and some even travelled from out of town to be there. The night served as a powerful reminder of the shared history and strong sense of community that once connected them. 'Even though many of us have kept in touch through social media, there's something special about reconnecting in person after all these years,' Ghattora says. 'So many people thanked us for organizing it. One person told me, 'This was the event we all needed but didn't know we wanted.' That really stuck with me.' Thanks to strong community support and a few sponsorship dollars, the organizing committee not only pulled off a bigger event than initially planned, but also ended up with a $3,000 surplus. After covering all expenses, they saw an opportunity to turn that extra money into something lasting, choosing to reinvest it in the next generation of Garden City Collegiate students. 'We started talking about creating scholarships,' Ghattora says. 'One of our committee members shared how much it meant to receive an award in high school — not for academics, but for personal growth. It inspired us to do the same.' Ghattora and Kampic wanted the reunion's legacy to go beyond a typical scholarship. As parents, they thought about the kinds of strengths they hoped to see in their own children, and in other students whose efforts might not always be recognized with traditional awards. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Melni Ghattora (left) and Liette Kampic, who both graduated from Garden City Collegiate in 2000, display old GCC yearbooks. 'I have two kids, and my six-year-old is so creative,' Ghattora says. 'It made me think about celebrating students who inspire others through creativity and storytelling.' Using the reunion's $3,000 profit, the committee created three $1,000 Garden City Collegiate scholarships for this year's graduates. 'I got a message from Melni saying their event was such a success, they wanted to donate some of the funds raised to support three of our students,' recalls Chris Pereira, a teacher at Garden City Collegiate. 'As someone who's been teaching here for 13 years, I understand the kind of momentum and encouragement that can give to a student. It can really make a difference.' Excited by the offer, Pereira helped connect Ghattora with school administrators. From there, the reunion planning committee took the lead, working closely with the school to establish the criteria for the scholarships. Together, they ensured the new scholarships would reach deserving Class of 2025 students, including those whose contributions might otherwise go unnoticed. This led to the development of three distinct awards: the Spark Award, which celebrates creativity and imagination; the Resilience Recognition Award, honouring students who have overcome personal or family hardships such as illness, loss or economic challenges; and the Quiet Strength Award, designed to recognize someone whose impact might not always be loud but is felt within the school community. 'We knew there were already a lot of awards for academics and sports,' says Kampic. 'We wanted to think outside the box and recognize something different.' Marissa Goncalves, 18, a 2025 Garden City Collegiate graduate and recipient of the Quiet Strength Award, says she was thrilled to receive the award after struggling to find scholarship opportunities. 'I was really happy,' she says. 'My scholarship search hadn't been going very well, so I was excited and grateful to actually get one.' BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Melni Ghattora (left) and Liette Kampic, who both graduated from Garden City Collegiate in 2000, reminisce over old GCC yearbooks at Kampic's home in West St. Paul, Man. Goncalves is a student whose impact speaks volumes — even if she doesn't. 'I've always been the quiet kid, not the type to be front and centre,' she says. 'But that changed in the last couple of years when I joined the student council. That's where I found my place.' She discovered a passion for organizing events, working behind the scenes and collaborating. 'Marissa is an absolute standout,' Pereira says. 'But throughout her time at Garden City, she's never been one to seek glory or recognition. Even when she told me about her involvement with the student council, she left out the fact that she served as co-chair.' It's a role that carries weight at the school, and Goncalves, typically soft-spoken and reserved, rose to the challenge. 'Despite being a shy and quiet person, she became the face of our student council,' Pereira says. 'That meant overcoming her fear of public speaking, and she did it. She addressed the school numerous times, standing in front of over a thousand people.' It wasn't easy, but she handled it with quiet determination. 'I saw her push through the discomfort, never making a fuss and quietly doing what needed to be done,' he says. 'That takes real character.' Goncalves plans to put her scholarship toward her education — she's already been accepted into the University of Manitoba's faculty of engineering and is set on building her future in the field. Supplied Ariah (left) and Ethan Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I'm leaning toward aerospace or maybe chemical engineering – I'm not 100 per cent sure yet,' she says. The Resilience Recognition Award went to Ethan Pereira, while Ariah Oquendo was the recipient of the Spark Award. Reflecting on the recent reunion, Pereira — himself a Garden City alumnus — says there's always been a special energy about the school, and that spirit was clearly still present at the event. 'It might not be unique to Garden City, but there's definitely a vibe,' he explains. 'That energy is still alive and well, and I see it every day as a teacher. What this reunion showed former grads — and signals to this year's graduating class — is that their time here mattered.' sabrinacarnevale@ Sabrina CarnevaleColumnist Sabrina Carnevale is a freelance writer and communications specialist, and former reporter and broadcaster who is a health enthusiast. She writes a twice-monthly column focusing on wellness and fitness. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
When it comes to Winnipeg stylophiles' caches, only the write stuff will do
In 2010 a fountain pen manufactured by Italian company Tibaldi set a record amount paid for a writing instrument, fetching an astounding $8 million at an auction in Shanghai. Renz Adame laughingly admits the so-named Fulgor Nocturnus pen, which is adorned with 945 diamonds and features a solid-gold nib, is a tad out of his price range. Nevertheless, the professional musician and dedicated stylophile — the term assigned to one who collects fountain pens, a style that relies on an internal reservoir or cartridge to hold ink — still plans to reward himself with something special when he toasts a milestone event later this month. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Professional musician Renz Adame has been collecting fountain pens — writing implements with an internal ink reservoir or cartridge — since he purchased his first in Ottawa in 2017. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Professional musician Renz Adame has been collecting fountain pens — writing implements with an internal ink reservoir or cartridge — since he purchased his first in Ottawa in 2017. Adame turns 30 on July 25. Lately he has been tossing around the idea of marking the occasion with a Pilot Custom Urushi, a Japanese-made fountain pen that is vermillion-red in colour and, according to online reviews, is 'beautifully resilient' and 'an absolute joy to write with.' While a new model goes for close to US$2,000, the West End resident is hoping to scoop one up for significantly less than that via second-hand sources. 'People might wonder who would ever spend a couple grand on a pen but I compare it to fine wine,' says Adame, an English horn player/oboist who performs with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on a freelance basis, and who has also guested with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Ottawa's National Arts Centre Orchestra. 'As your taste develops, you start liking better and better wine. It's the same thing with pens.' RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Adame says he really went down the fountain-pen 'rabbit hole' during the pandemic lockdowns. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Adame says he really went down the fountain-pen 'rabbit hole' during the pandemic lockdowns. Adame, the eldest of four siblings, was born in the Philippines. He was 11 when his family immigrated to Winnipeg. He recalls his initial impression of his new home, as if it was yesterday. It was mid-April when he stepped out of the airport. Given the glowing sun and bright-blue sky, he expected to be greeted by a warm breeze, except he was immediately halted in his tracks. 'It was absolutely freezing out. The second the cold hit me, I was like, 'nope, I'm getting back on the plane.'' He toughed it out, and as he got older he developed a fascination with stationery, journaling and calligraphy thanks to his mom, an expert at cursive writing who never failed to create elaborate signs for family celebrations. Adame was studying music at the University of Ottawa in 2017 when he happened upon a store called Paper Papier in that city's ByWard Market. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS INTERSECTION Renz, collector of fountain pens, Close up photo of one of Renz's favourite fountain pens created with hand-poured resin. Story: Intersection piece on Renz Adame, an avid collector of fountain pens, both modern & vintage. He has close to 300 that he sorts according to colour, brand, age, etc. He is also a calligrapher and classical musician. Reporter: Dave Sanderson July 2nd, 2025 RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS INTERSECTION Renz, collector of fountain pens, Close up photo of one of Renz's favourite fountain pens created with hand-poured resin. Story: Intersection piece on Renz Adame, an avid collector of fountain pens, both modern & vintage. He has close to 300 that he sorts according to colour, brand, age, etc. He is also a calligrapher and classical musician. Reporter: Dave Sanderson July 2nd, 2025 He poked his head inside and thought 'my goodness' when he spotted a $50 price tag attached to a Faber-Castell Loom fountain pen that caught his eye. He left the shop empty-handed. After mulling it over for a few hours, he retraced his steps and splurged on the aluminum model. 'Because I didn't know very much at the time, what I failed to realize was that the pen, which has a smaller nib, was more for map-making than calligraphy, so it wasn't overly practical,' he says, adding he would bring it along to class from time to time, but for the most part it was kept in a drawer in his apartment. Adame moved to Vancouver in the fall of 2019 to pursue a doctorate in music at the University of British Columbia. His pen predilection might never have moved past that first specimen, he feels, if COVID-19 hadn't come along in the spring of 2020, throwing the world into lockdown mode. Practically overnight, he went from rehearsing and performing '24-7' to being stuck at home, unable to do much of anything. One afternoon, he was scrolling through YouTube, only to come across video after video of individuals showing off their penmanship by writing with fountain pens. There was a chat function and after posing a few queries about what he was witnessing, 'the rabbit hole opened up,' he says with a wink. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Adame was initially intrigued by stationary, journaling and calligraphy thanks to his mother, who is a skilled cursive writer. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Adame was initially intrigued by stationary, journaling and calligraphy thanks to his mother, who is a skilled cursive writer. Unable to shop in person, he began perusing online stores. Within a month, he was up to 15 pens, a number that continued to increase as soon as pandemic-related restrictions were relaxed. 'I lived on West Hastings (Street), a couple of blocks from the Vancouver Pen Shop. Probably once a day when I would start to lose my mind from boredom, I'd walk over to the shop and hang out for a few hours — so much so that they eventually offered me a job on weekends, since I already knew where everything was,' he says, listing ultra-fine craftsmanship along with the wide range of what's available as reasons he was drawn to the hobby. Since moving back to Winnipeg, Adame has maintained an Instagram account dubbed There he regularly shows off models from what is currently a 300-strong collection, along with examples of his highly skilful handwriting. And while a lot of his fellow collectors specialize by focusing their attention on a specific category of pen — choosing between modern or vintage, or concentrating on a certain make or shade — his cache is 'all over the map.' 'I have a bunch that are probably 100 years old at least, but I also love the look and feel of new pens,' he says, citing 26 Market on Princess Street, Seduta Art on Arthur Street and the Pen Counter, inside U.N. Luggage on McDermot Avenue, as local suppliers he frequents on a regular basis. 'I get the question all the time — 'what's your favourite pen?' — and I tell them they can't ask me that. It's like asking me what my favourite food is. It changes depending on the day.' Maja Furlong is the president of the Vancouver Pen Club, a 19-year-old organization Adame joined when he was living in B.C. Furlong grew up in Thompson. She remembers picking up a $15 Sheaffer fountain pen from Woolworth's in 1976 to assist her with a Grade 6 essay. 'My thinking was if I used a good pen I would get a good mark, and even though I still have it, I never used that pen again,' says Furlong, seated on an outdoor patio at the Vancouver Public Library's Kitsilano branch, where the club is holding its monthly meeting. (Forget Stanley Park or the Capilano Suspension Bridge; during a recent trip to the West Coast, we made a point of attending the Vancouver Pen Club's June get-together.) Furlong bought her second fountain pen in 1992, during a trip to Vienna. No. 3 — the one that got her 'hooked' — came along nine years later, by which time she was living in B.C. 'I was working at a pharmacy and one of my co-workers would use a fountain pen to write in the pharmacy's communications book, which everyone was required to read. I asked him about it and he mentioned an online store, which in turn led me to all these other stores in Vancouver that sold fountain pens.' There were only five people, Furlong among them, when the Vancouver Pen Club held its inaugural meeting in December 2006. At last count, there were 353 members, she says, ranging in age from 10 to 80. 'There's a small handful like Renz who have moved away, but the majority live in the metro Vancouver area,' explains Furlong, who now lives in Tsawwassen, B.C. 'We usually average between 20 and 25 at the meetings, which are a great opportunity to be in a room for two hours with people who all speak the same language — fountain pens.' Furlong has attended pen conventions in Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. She currently owns a shade over 1,000 fountain pens, which she stores in zippered pen cases, glass shelving units, even coffee mugs — anything to have one close at hand, she says. 'The problem is my husband and I don't have any kids, and we're not getting any younger,' she continues, noting she especially loves chancing upon pens — 'the thrill of the hunt,' she terms it — that carry a personal inscription such as a name or date on the casing. 'We do have twin nieces, but they've both told me they have zero interest in fountain pens. So like a lot of people who collect pens or whatever, you start to wonder, hmm, what's going to happen to all this down the line?' Back in Winnipeg, Adame allows that he may not be the easiest person to go for a bite with. Reach into your pocket for a pen to jot something down and right away he's curious, be it a fountain pen in your hand or not. 'I honestly always glance at what people write with. I've run into a few people in coffee shops who write with fountain pens, which is always super fun,' he says. Additionally, he'll study still frames from movies and TV shows that other pen aficionados have posted online in an effort to determine the precise sort of pen a character is employing. 'Even when I'm at the grocery store, I always have a fountain pen in my pocket. I'll be walking through an aisle and go 'oh yeah, don't forget to buy lettuce,' and I'll pull it out to make a note to myself.' Monthly What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. An email with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. David Sanderson Dave Sanderson was born in Regina but please, don't hold that against him. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
