Swan Valley Projects Receive Hometown Grants

Many communities across the province will be sprucing up main street areas and other public places with support from the Hometown Manitoba grant program, Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced on July 22, 2015.


“We’re investing in 101 projects to beautify and restore main street areas and public places, such as parks, recreation centres and museums,” said Minister Kostyshyn. “These beautification projects are a source of great pride for communities, and can also help increase the value of homes and attract more business investment.”

Swan Valley Projects Include:
Barrows Community Council – Signage
Minitonas Community Store Ltd. – Exterior Upgrades
Minitonas Town – Green Space Project
The Shop Minitonas Inc. – Exterior Upgrades

The Hometown Manitoba program provides annual funding in three categories:
* Hometown Meeting Places supports community projects that enhance main street areas and public places like parks, museums and recreation centres;
* Hometown Main Streets Enhancements focus on upgrading the appearance of building exteriors and outdoor spaces in main street areas; and
* Hometown Tree Planting supports greening projects for towns and municipalities including parks, golf courses and entrances to communities.

Non-profit community organizations, municipalities and northern community councils or co-operatives are able to apply for these grants. Small businesses are also eligible for Hometown Main Streets Enhancements. This year, the Manitoba government will distribute $225,000 to 101 projects including:
* storefront improvements to Mil-Jeanne Flowers & Axcenz in Portage la Prairie ($1,000);
* signage and exterior upgrades to the South Interlake Regional Library in Stonewall ($5,000);
* exterior enhancements to Riverdale Community Centre in Rivers ($4,671); and
* a community tree planting in the Little Saskatchewan River Conservation District ($1,325).

“Whether it’s at the ball diamonds, the fairgrounds or the rink, there is always something on in Oak River,” said Kyle Brown, resource technician, Little Saskatchewan River Conservation District. “This is what keeps a small town going and makes it such a great place to live, work and play. With this investment in planting trees, we will involve the community and local students to enhance the area and make it even more enjoyable.”

Since Hometown Manitoba was launched in 2004, the Manitoba government has invested more than $4 million in support of 2,339 projects.

For more information about the Hometown Manitoba program and a list of all approved projects, visit www.manitoba.ca/agriculture under Rural Communities.