If you want to get out of the house and experience a hike full of scenic views that will take you alongside a lake, through wetlands, deep wooded areas and even a pasture then the Turtle’s Back Trail is for you. Located about 20 minutes southeast of Boissevain in William Lake Provincial Park, the trail is roughly 7 km and culminates at the Turtle’s Back Summit where you will find an observation tower overlooking William Lake. Even though the trail does get pretty steep near the summit, it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone with any kind of hiking experience and the views at the top are definitely worth it. Before the summit there is even a picnic area so pack yourself a picnic and have a snack along the way. The trail also has two different paths if you want to shave off a km there or back. After the hike you can take a dip in the lake at the beach in the park to cool off. Also before you get back to Brandon make sure you stop at The Busy B in Boissevain to grab some delicious ice cream or other snacks.

Next weekend Gold Leaf Event’s will be holding their annual Spring Craft & Gift Market. Due to COVID, there was no event last year, but event planners, Lisa Buchanan and Krista Powell have decided to go ahead with one this year. All COVID rules will be followed to ensure a safe shopping experience for all vendors, customers, and volunteers! Masks will be mandatory at the event. This market will feature over 20 local and surrounding area artisans, crafters and home-based businesses all while raising money for PAWSitive Pack Animal Resuce Group. This animal rescue group is based out of Brandon and run entirely by a team of experienced, dedicated and passionate volunteers. The group will be at the market and will happily accept donations of pet supplies and pet food. There will be a great line up of raffle prizes with all proceeds going to the animal rescue group. Powell is looking forward to the event, “It is going to be a great day! It has been a hard year for everyone including our vendors. We are just looking forward to a day of supporting our amazing local makers and sellers. Grey Ridge Coffee is coming with their coffee truck. We have lots of sanitizer and disinfectant to ensure all COVID protocols are followed.”  The Market runs from 10am-4pm on Saturday, April 17th at the historical Dome Building. Admission is $2 while children 12 and under are free. Find Gold Leaf Events on Facebook and Instagram for more information. 

On Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 7:00 PM, the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba will host a reception occasioned by two exhibitions, i {heart} Brandon in the Community Gallery, and Nothing Smells in Absolute Zero in the Main Gallery. The latter was coordinated by the AGSM’s newcurator, Lucie Lederhendler, and marks the first curatorial project of her new role.i {heart} Brandon brings together nearly 100 works of art by Westman residents, all of whom are responding to the question, “What do you love about Brandon?” The result is a celebration of our city, its assets, and, importantly, the range of perspectives residing in it. Sponsored by Brandon Tourism, submissions to this exhibition will be evaluated by a team of four judges to win a cash prize in three categories: Youth, Teen, and Adult. A fourth “audience choice” winner will be selected via physical ballots, which will be available at the gallery until April 21, with winners announced April 22.Nothing Smells in Absolute Zero is a solo exhibition of Brandon-based artist Chris Reid’s hyper, uncanny artwork. She was recently involved in the touring exhibition A Prairie Vernacular (AGSM Main Gallery, January 14 - March 13, 2021) as an artist and educator. Over the span of her career thus far, Reid’s practice has consistently illustrated a landscape populated by unreal residents formed from either Ukranian mythology or her own imagination. Absolute Zero marks a shift in her practice,from a documentarian to a witness. Reid has worked in the “homelessness industry,” as she calls it, for over a decade. During that time, a few nagging questions arose and persisted about the moreabstract qualities of house and home. Longtime residents of Brandon will recognize much of the built environment in this exhibition, though new arrivals will not, as they are extinct, such as the 8th Street Bridge, the burned italianate home on Fourth and Louise, or the absent house next to the Princess Grocery.The reception will take place virtually, with invited on-site guests. After a virtual tour of i {heart} Brandon, Reid and Lederhendler will walk through the exhibition and reflect on the processes of artmaking and curating. The following day at 1:30 PM, they will meet again for a Lunch & Learn that will be hosted entirely online. Live-streamed events can be accessed through the AGSM’s Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter channels.Following health and safety protocols, the Gallery is open to the public with limited hours (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12-5PM and Thursday 12-8:30PM) and controlled capacity. The presentation and publication of Nothing Smells in Absolute Zero is generously supported by New System Store, SuttonHarrison Realty, and Dr. Derry Dector.

Sunrise Credit Union will begin accepting entries into the ninth annual Our Manitoba Photo Contest on Monday, March 15, 2021. The contest has been held annually since 2013 and showcases the beauty of our province. The competition is open to all Manitobans. Each photographer can submit a maximum of three photos. Photos that meet technical requirements and showcase Manitoba's cultural characteristics will then be shortlisted based on originality, creativity, and overall composition. The shortlisted images are subject to a public vote, with the winner unveiled on Manitoba Day, Wednesday, May 12. The 13 winning entries will receive a canvas print of their winning photograph and have their photo featured in the 2022 Sunrise Credit Union Calendar. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a $500 term deposit. The contest receives hundreds of entries annually, and thousands more participate through the public vote. The important dates to remember for the Our Manitoba Photo Contest are: March 15 – April 1 – submit photos at www.ourmanitoba.org.April 7-14 – public vote through www.ourmanitoba.org.April 30 – May 11 – photos #13 through #2 released through Sunrise Credit Union's social media channels.May 12 – the unveiling of the Grand Prize-winning photo. Last year’s winner was Justin Oertel of Brandon for the photo ‘Harvest Sunset’. (submitted)

If you have ever owned rental property or rented property, then you know that there’s the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes with this experience. And it works both ways, whether you are the landlord or the tenant. Landlords sometimes have to deal with damaged property, disrespectful tenants, and difficulty collecting rent or collecting rent on time. Tenants may have to put up with inconsiderate neighbours, properties that are poorly maintained, or landlords that are flippant and ignore requests. The goal for many property managers is to find a happy medium so that all parties can live in harmony. Vionell Holdings Partnership, one of Manitoba’s largest property management firms, works hard to build positive relationships between property owners and tenants and they are always looking for tools to enhance the services they offer. Chief Executive Officer Jason Roblin said the company recently partnered with the Landlord Credit Bureau (LCB), an independent reporting tool, used in the rental industry to help landlords, property managers, and tenants work more in sync with each other. “This is a fantastic value-added tool that we’re excited to be using. As property managers, it helps to reduce our risk but the bonus is that our clients and our tenants gain just as much from it as we do,” said Jason. Once the landlord and the tenant are signed in to the portal, the Landlord Credit Bureau tracks and reports credit information through credit bureaus such as Equifax. If rent is paid on time, the tenant builds a positive rent history and improves their credit report. With rent being a significant part of a tenant’s monthly expenses, it can sometimes be difficult to build a positive credit report. “Until now, responsible tenants paid their rent without experiencing the credit building benefits LCB enables. Now, landlords and property managers can reward these tenants with a positive trade line on their credit reports. A recent tenant reported to LCB an increase of over 40 points within the first month of their landlord registering them,” said Zac Killam, LCB Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased to be working with Jason and his team at Vionell Holdings to help reward his fantastic tenants.” On the flip side, if the rent isn’t paid on time a reminder goes to the tenant and their rent goes into arrears. If it is not paid, it may impact their credit score. The reminder and the possibility of a lower credit score provides the tenant with an incentive to manage their finances more effectively so they can pay their rent on time. And while the tenants benefit from this online tool, property owners who put their trust in property management companies using LCB also reap rewards. Landlords and property managers who sign up have reduced losses, attract responsible tenants, and end up collecting rent in full and on time more consistently. “When we combine LCB with the tenant screening software that we use through Yardi Voyager, we are adding so much more value to the services we offer our property management customers. We’re utilizing industry best practices to attract and reward the best tenants. This is how we work to build positive relationships,” said Jason.