Heritage Co-op hosts their Monster Truck Kick-Off Charity BBQ this week, at their Richmond Ave. location in Brandon. It runs 3PM to 7PM Friday, July 14 and will feature a host of Monster Trucks, drivers, FMX Freestyle crew, free autographs and photo ops, bouncy castles, Monster Cake and face painting! Admission is free. BBQ Smokies will be available by donation with all proceeds being donated to the Pediatric Ward at the Brandon Hospital. The event kicks-off the Monsters & Mayhem weekend being held on the Keystone Centre grounds Saturday and Sunday. Tickets to Monsters & Mayhem are available online until Friday at 4PM (tickets.keystonecentre.com) or at the gate this weekend.

Brandon, MB – July 10, 2017 – Cool Gardens 2017, presented by StorefrontMB, has officially unveiled its new exhibit at the Riverbank Discovery Centre in Brandon. This year’s installation, Kaleido(scape) by Justin Benjamin and Vanessa Goldgrub (JB+V Design) based in Vancouver, BC, has transformed the banks of the Assiniboine River into a play area inspired by the classic Kaleidoscope toy with colour, movement and physical interaction for all ages. (See attached PDF for Kaleido(scape) images) “Cool Gardens offer residents and visitors alike a chance to engage in the eccentric art and design culture thriving in Manitoba and around the globe,” said David Penner, StorefrontMB President and Cool Gardens co-curator. "We are thrilled to host another Cool Gardens installation this summer at the Riverbank Discovery Centre,” said Lois MacDonald, Manager of the Riverbank Discovery Centre. “This year's installation is bright, fun and colourful and is in keeping with the summer atmosphere of our facility. We encourage local and visiting families to come and experience our Cool Garden this summer." Cool Gardens, now in its fifth year, is a public exhibition that celebrates contemporary garden culture, public art and the local landscape with sites in both Winnipeg and Brandon. Kaleido(scape) is sponsored by the Riverbank Discovery Centre, Community Fixtures, Pulver Fencing and Super 8 Motel. Cool Gardens 2017 is sponsored by the Manitoba Association of Architects, Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Arts Council and The Winnipeg Arts Council.

If you've been thinking of trying standup paddleboarding (SUP) now is the time! Ray Miles, owner of Get Up Stand Up Paddleboarding, is now offering lessons in Brandon and area. He is Brandon's only certified SUP instructor, and Paddleboard specialist, with 8 years SUP experience. Ray has experience paddling rivers & lakes all over southern Manitoba, as well as 4 of the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg & Manitoba, the scenic Lake Louise & Moraine Lake, Levitte Lake, and the Pacific Ocean near Tofino & Uclulet. He is a Paddle Canada certified SUP flatwater instructor and offers both private & small group lessons, as well as clinics. SUP lessons are 2.5 hours delivered to individual students, or small groups of 6 or less. Participants can earn Paddle Canada Certification and the cost is $85.00/lesson/person. Board rentals are available [includes paddle, leash &PFD]. Clinics are 45 minutes, to 1 hour, and are delivered to a larger group without Paddle Canada certification. Cost is a donation. SUP Sales/Rental SUP Lessons SUP Demos Lessons: $85.00 [includes: board, paddle, PFD] Board Rentals: $40 per day $110 per weekend [Fri-Sun] $125 long weekend [Thurs-Mon] $165 week $275 2 weeks rental $445 1 month rental [rates for 2 board rentals are available as well] NEW This Season!! Monster SUP Rental $120 per day. This inflatable SUP measures 20 feet long & 5 feet wide. It can accommodate up to 6 people paddling. [requires 5 days advance notice]

The Transcona Water Park, located 1101 Wabasha St in Winnipeg, officially opened today.  The facility includes 4 water slides, zero grade entry (beach entry) with mini geysers, shallow water spray features, 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards, and an extended spray pad adjacent to an outdoor pool.  The facility, a first of its kind for Winnipeg, also includes shaded areas, change rooms, shower areas, and washrooms.  Capacity is 341 people. Additional information, including costs, can be found here.

We are really fortunate in Brandon to have over kilometres and kilometres of pathways throughout the city that are well used for jogging, walking, cycling and skateboarding. This year, the city has allocated $150,000 from the capital budget to the Community Services department for the re-pavement of certain sections of the pathways. According to a City of Brandon spokesperson, the top priority for enhancement is the pathway along Richmond Avenue from 26th Street to 34th Street. There currently isn’t a timeline on when this project will be complete. If you’re looking to expand your walking or cycling route, in case you weren’t aware the City of Brandon provides a map of the City Loop Trail, which takes you on a 20 kilometre trip around the entire city. Before you head out, however, you’ll need to find an alternate route to make your way from the Riverbank Discovery Centre to Pacific Avenue due to the recent demolition of the 8th Street bridge. This could be a great opportunity increase the distance of the route and possibly explore some new territory. And, for those that used to travel on the trails along the Assiniboine River, the City confirmed that newly built dikes will not be re-paved, as they are first and foremost a flood protection structure and not solely recreation infrastructure. However, different types of surfaces are being considered that might be suitable for the top of the dike system that would be appropriate for recreation, but won’t impede City operations if there was ever a need to heighten the dike again in a hurry.