Followers

Friday, May 13, 2011

Neighbour Alive Living Up

May 13, 2011

FIVE WINNIPEG COMMUNITIES TO BE REVITALIZED WITH $1.8 MILLION FROM NEIGHBOURHOODS ALIVE!: IRVIN-ROSS


Five Winnipeg communities will be rejuvenated with an investment of $1.8 million from the province, making neighbourhoods safer and more attractive while offering more educational, recreational and social opportunities for families, Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today.
“Since its launch just over 10 years ago, Neighbourhoods Alive! has become one of the province’s key community economic development initiatives and, due to the considerable public interest in expanding the program, we are adding communities,” said Irvin-Ross.  “Neighbourhoods Alive! is about rebuilding neighbourhoods from the ground up and we want more communities to be part of this successful program.”
Five Winnipeg neighbourhoods will receive Neighbourhoods Alive! (NA!) support through a new program called the Localized Improvement Fund for Tomorrow (LIFT).  They are Elwick (southeast Maples), Weston, Osborne-Mayfair, Lavallee (Alpine-Lavallee) and South Pembina.
The LIFT program will provide grant assistance totalling $450,000 over the next four years.  Each of the five neighbourhoods will receive $90,000 annually.
“I am so excited we are moving forward with this expansion in additional locations,” said Irvin-Ross.  “I would like to personally thank all the community groups and individuals that have worked together over the years to make Neighbourhoods Alive! the thriving program it has become.”
“I am aware of the need for and the benefit of programs which build on the strengths of the community, particularly programs that engage and build capacity of our youth, seniors and families,” said Michelle Strain of the Salvation Army Multicultural Centre.  “Creating healthy communities requires support and commitment from all sectors.  The new LIFT program will allow us to bring more resources to our community and its residents.”
Community meetings in each locality will be held to share information about the fund and provide opportunity for residents to collectively identify local priorities to consider when reviewing project applications, Irvin-Ross said.  All residents and community groups are welcome and encouraged to attend the community meetings.  Invitations will be extended to local residents, business owners, community organizations (e.g., agencies, schools, churches, community centres) and other stakeholders.  Specific dates and locations of the meetings will be announced in June 2011.                                                                        
The first intake for LIFT program funding requests will be in late 2011.
This expansion comes on the heels of recent announcements to reduce red tape for non-profit organizations through the NA! tax credit, which will support and promote the development of social enterprises by leveraging investments through the private sector, the minister said, adding there is also a new website connecting social enterprises to relevant provincial programs and supports.
“These initiatives build on the good work happening through the NA! program, ensuring non-profit organizations can focus on their mandates rather than administration,” Irvin-Ross said.  “It also provides tools for communities to reduce barriers to employment while providing important goods and services.”
Irvin-Ross noted Neighbourhoods Alive! has numerous funding programs that support community revitalization.  Since the program’s inception in 2000, more than 919 NA! projects have received government support totalling more than $78 million.
Neighbourhoods Alive! is a long-term, community-based social and economic strategy to support and encourage community-driven revitalization efforts in neighbourhoods in Winnipeg and rural communities, the minister said.  The provincial government has supported NA! programs in Thompson, Brandon, Flin Flon, The Pas, Selkirk, Dauphin, Portage la Prairie and designated communities throughout Winnipeg.
- 30 -
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED



No comments: