In my last article, I explored the possibility of micro-apartments in the Brandon market and if current renters or potential renters were keen and ready for this type of living arrangement. From the feedback that we received (which was very much appreciated), readers suggested that smaller apartments would indeed be welcome, however, most suggested that they should have one private bathroom and some commented that they would only be interested if the units had private laundry facilities. Based on this criteria, a design could be drafted to keep the units under 500 square feet, which is quite a bit smaller than most apartments. With building and land costs at the current level, we could potentially add these units to the market for a monthly rental rate of just under $900 per month. We want to be cognizant of the fact, however, that Manitoba Housing has set affordable housing rates in Brandon at $640 per month, plus hydro for a one-bedroom apartment (https://www.gov.mb.ca/housing/progs/pil.html).   So, the question now becomes: is there value to having a newer and smaller place for $900 per month compared to living in an older place that might have shared laundry that offers more space?   In the end, the main issue that is identified after exploring all these options is that there are very few options to add affordable housing units, as defined by the Province of Manitoba, to the market that features all the amenities and basic requirements that people look for in an apartment.   We will, however, continue to keep a finger on the pulse of the market and try to offer variations in what is currently available in the area for rental accommodations.   In addition, we are also interested in what potential customers would like to see for multi-family accommodations. Our goal would be to meet and exceed expectations in terms of what people would like to see in our community to meet the needs of their living accommodations when larger families are involved.   With this in mind, we are very excited about adding more three-bedroom units at The Groves, Brandon’s newest townhouse community in the south end, which has already been very well received. We are also looking forward to the completion of The Summit, a new Life Lease Community on the North Hill, that has been popular in the pre-lease phase. Units at The Summit will be available later this fall.   Vionell Holdings Partnership (VHP) provides rental housing and property management for an array of residential and commercial customers, including Condominium Management. VHP currently has over 3,500 units under management in Manitoba. For more information please visit www.vhproperties.ca.

The annual Westman Dreams for Kids Children's Country Fair will be held this year on Sunday, June 3.  The one day festival takes place at the Kirkcaldy Heights School from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Children's Country Fair is a free event for families in Westman.   This year's Children's Country fair is sure to be an amazing time with something to do for everyone of all ages.  Organizers have a pile of activities planned, with some wonderful new supporters joining them.   Ty Worthington, from Tag-Em Entertainment, will be there this summer with some exciting new bouncers including Bumper Cars, Hungry Hippo, Leaps and Bounds, Laser Tag and more!! Other things to see and do include: - Live entertainment all day long - Face Painting - Ricklyn Farms Petting Zoo - Gentrice Farms Hay Rides - Fun Time Pottery Painting - Hair By KG be-dazzling all the little princesses - Just for Kidz Scavenger Hunt - Crossfit Rocked Obstacle Course - Brandon Boxing Club Boxing Ring demonstration and get in the ring - Brandon Fire & Emergency Services - Brandon City Police - Mini U Archery Tag   Toddler Town, a special section for the smallest supporters will be also be featured on this day.   Along with these events, organizers say that there is more in the works as well.   If you would like to join Westman Dreams for Kids with an activity, or as a stage performer, give them a call at 729-8898 or e-mail wdfk@mymts.net.

The Foundation sends a drum roll of thanks to the Khartum Shriners Brandon Pipes and Drums for their donation of $5,000, targeted for the Maternal/Child Department at the Brandon Regional Health Centre. This group has been sharing the beautiful music of the pipes and drums since 1978 and are now unfortunately disbanding and disposing of their funds. Although this marks an end, this gift will benefit sick children in Brandon for many years to come.  

You would be hard-pressed to find someone that would argue the fact that it’s important to invest in young people and in our community. And that’s exactly why the YMCA Strong Kids program is so well received in Brandon. Not only does it support youth, it supports their families and the entire community. The YMCA Strong Kids program equals opportunity. It’s an opportunity for children, young adults, and families to be active, to be healthier. YMCA Board Member and Strong Kids Campaign Co-chair Jillian DeCosse said that although the campaign is national and runs at YMCAs across the country, the funds that are raised stay right here in our community and directly benefit Westman residents. “Last year, 600 families were impacted by the Strong Kids program. This is people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to access some of the programs that are offered at the YMCA,” said DeCosse. The campaign provides funding for full YMCA memberships, summer day camps, child care, youth programs, swimming lessons, gymnastics and all other recreational options available at the YMCA when financial pressures make it difficult for families to be involved on their own. A small donation can go a long way, in fact, just $10 a month allows a child the opportunity to attend the popular YMCA day camps that kids just love to be a part of. “I’m a strong supporter of the YMCA and the Strong Kids program because I know that there is a good portion of children in our community who might not get the chance to participate in these type activities which help them to grow up to be productive members of our society,” said DeCosse. There are many ways to support the YMCA Strong Kids program - donate online (http://www.ymcabrandon.ca/strong-kids/) or visit the Member Services desk. You can also participate in the upcoming YMCA Spring Run on May 27 which supports the Strong Kids campaign.

f we build it, will they come? Many cities across the country like Vancouver and Toronto are accustomed to smaller living spaces or micro-apartments, especially when it comes to student or senior living accommodations. Locally, we don’t have a lot of options that would fall into this same category, especially when trying to meet affordable housing rental rates. The question is if we did have scaled back living arrangements with shared facilities would this be a popular choice? According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or Manitoba Housing if you want new housing that is affordable it will have to be subsided by the provincial, federal or municipal governments (or all three). The notion of building 1,000+ square foot, two-bedroom units as affordable housing is not sustainable unless it is subsidized by more than one level of government. The reality is that the cost to produce these units is over $180,000 per unit and therefore the costs would not allow for the rent to be in the affordable range. This was supported by the recent report released by the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation. Building micro-apartments would help to reduce land and construction costs, which in essence would bring the rent on a new unit down to the affordable level as defined by CMHC for Brandon. In addition, having micro apartments would help to free up larger, slightly more expensive units for families and those who need the extra space. This is where property developers must take into consideration marketability and sustainability of proposed micro-apartments. Interestingly, some of the highest demand apartments within the Vionell Holdings’ portfolio are one-bedroom apartments (just 613 square feet) at Arbutus Place located in a residential area in the south end of Brandon. They rent for $975-1000 per month plus hydro. As the market is explored, we wonder if renters would be interested in ground level, one-bedroom apartments with shared washroom facilities (perhaps shared with four other units) for only $800 per month. Many of us are used to living in a fair bit of space. However, we have to ask ourselves, does a post-secondary student or independent, active senior need a 1000 square foot apartment or would they be willing to sacrifice space in order to achieve lower housing costs? Vionell Holdings Partnership (VHP) provides rental housing and property management for an array of residential and commercial customers, including Condominium Management. VHP currently has over 3,500 units under management in Manitoba.  For more information please visit www.vhproperties.ca.