Province Adds $1 Million to Accelerate Construction of Park Community Centre and Child-Care Facility in Brandon

The Manitoba government is investing an additional $1 million in the Park Community Centre in Brandon, enabling the city to issue a request for proposal (RFP) and accelerate the revitalization of the Park Community Centre and non-profit child-care facility in downtown Brandon, Premier Wab Kinew and Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard announced here today.

“This investment in the Park Community Centre is about making life easier for working families in Brandon,” said Kinew. “It means more access to affordable, quality child care right in the heart of downtown and a revitalized space where people can come together for recreation, culture and community.”

“We committed to completing the Park Community Centre, an important resource for the people of Brandon, and the province stepped up,” said Simard. “Brandon families deserve affordable child care in a safe and inclusive space that offers uplifting programs and services for the whole family.”

A key component of the redevelopment of the Park Community Centre will be a licensed, non-profit child-care facility, ensuring more families in Brandon have access to affordable, high-quality care close to home.

“This funding is a win for Brandon. It means we can get shovels in the ground and start turning the Park Community Centre into something really useful for families,” said Mayor Jeff Fawcett, City of Brandon. “With the YMCA stepping in to run the new child-care facility, we’re making sure parents have more options where they live and work. It’s practical, it’s local and it’s going to make a real difference.”

The neighbouring YMCA of Brandon, which recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to provide care and operate the new 68-space facility, will manage the child-care centre.

“The Park Community Centre has been a longtime hub of concerts and community gatherings in Brandon,” said Ken Friedrich, president, Park Community Centre. “With the Manitoba government’s generous financial contribution and the addition of the child care centre our community and city will thrive for generations to come.”

This project reflects the Manitoba government’s commitment to expanding child care access through community partnerships and support for local, non-profit operators, Kinew noted.