The Heart of the Community
2022 Updates
On September 6, 2022, Mayor & Council held the official opening and ribbon cutting of the South St. Clements Park located at 88 Donald Road, Narol. We were honoured to be joined by MP James Bezan, Minister Jeff Wharton, Rotary Club of Selkirk, and volunteers who have given their time to this project.
The Government of Canada along with the Manitoba Government announced on August 31, 2022, joint funding with the municipality for $6,136,946 for construction of the new South St. Clements Activity Centre through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Updates on construction will be available as they come and you can view our information pamphlet here.
We invite residents to use the park, playground and trails as they wish! There will be ongoing construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting the circular trail and fitness circuit path, as well as the construction of shade structures. You will see more trees being planted as well to have a total of 277 trees planted.
Among those trees include Manitoba Maple trees. We would like to thank Rotary Club of Selkirk for their generous donation of $20,000 that was put toward the purchase and planting of this gorgeous tree species!
The Rotary Club of Selkirk also donated a Peace Pole that was unveiled September 6, 2022. The message that we want to be sent out is “May Peace Prevail On Earth”. This message is written in 12 different languages, including Chinese, Cree, English, French, German, Hindi, Icelandic, Ojibway, Polish, Punjabi, Tagalog and Ukrainian. This represents the diverse population we have in our municipality, and we are happy to welcome every person to our park!
2021 Updates
It was a busy fall at the St. Clements Activity Centre and Park site as we move towards completing a park that will benefit our community for years to come! Each step of progress made brings us excitement in hopes to be able to welcome you to the park in the Spring/Summer of 2022. We do want to remind the public going into winter that we do still have components to finish next spring therefore the park is not ready or safe for use and we kindly ask the public refrain from using the site. We want to remind the community that there will be no motorized vehicles, including snowmobiles, allowed at the SCAC and Park.
Some items that were completed and installed this fall include:
- play structure, swings and surrounding landscaping
- park benches
- heritage signs
- fitness circuit signs
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided some challenges and delays for us during these last years of development but we’ve managed to keep the steam in our sails as we work towards completion. We are hoping that next year we will be able to hold a ceremony for the official opening of the park, which we will be providing more details on.
If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas, we do still have a few benches left for purchase. The monetary donation for a piece of furniture is $2,000 and donors would receive a tax receipt for this donation. In turn, a name plaque with your details would be placed on the furniture item. If this sounds like something you are interested in, cheques can be made payable to ‘RM of St. Clements’ and mailed to Box 2 Grp 35 RR 1, East Selkirk R0E 0M0. We are excited to share more fundraising opportunities as they come!
We want to thank our Fundraising Committee which consists of Irene de Graaf, Megan Verleih and Debbie Cunningham. They are members of the community that have taken a passion to this project in hopes that it can become a focal point in the community. This project hits home for them as they have families and grandchildren of their own. The committee understands the importance of creating an environment that fosters the growth and wellbeing of not only children but all ages, families and organizations and that builds community spirit and growth as well as promotes the protection of the environment.
Already completed in 2021:
- The pond has been filled and the pathway surrounding it has been constructed
- Native Grass Seeding
- You may notice something big, new and shiny at the St. Clements Activity Centre and Park site….the playground is almost completely installed.
2020 Updates
- In June we were notified of our successful application for a grant from the Province of Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage Historic – Resources Branch, which we are grateful for the support that they have given us. The grant is a 50/50 cost share to install Heritage Interpretive signs in the park. Due to COVID-19 there was a delay of gathering information and photographs for the signage but we are happy to update that they are now produced and will be installed in the spring of 2021. See copies of the digital signs below:
- It is our mission to create an environment that fosters the growth and wellbeing of all ages, families and organizations that builds community spirit and growth, as well as promotes the protection of the environment. This will be achieved in part with the 10 acre St. Clements Park which will provide a place for recreation and a place to connect with nature.
With the support of donors we are very excited to make our park an outstanding community space. With your help, we can do it. Donors can support the development of the St. Clements Activity Centre and Park with all donations over $50.00 receiving a tax receipt.
If you wish to make a donation and have questions or if you would like to reach out further to discuss donor recognition, please contact recreation@rmofstclements.com.
- The St. Clements Activity Centre and Park site has seen some big developments this fall, as we move towards a park that will benefit the residents for years to come. This includes the parking lot nearing completion and the pond dug.
The park development has now ceased for the winter and we still have components to finish next spring. As soon as we are able to get on the site, the development will continue. In the spring you can expect to see the pond filled, interpretive signs placed, playground installed as well as the parking lot and path completed.
Presently, the park development is not ready or safe for use. We kindly request that the public refrain from using the site. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
- As mentioned earlier in the year, the RM of St. Clements is very excited to begin work at the site on Donald Road for the St. Clements Activity Centre and Park. You will begin to notice the site humming with landscaping and site preparation as we begin Phase 2 as early as Monday, September 14, 2020. There will be machinery on site working from 7:00 am till 7:00 pm for an estimated period of two weeks, weather permitting.
It is important that we provide our residents an update in advance on the construction but also confirm that the traffic on Donald Road will not be affected with this construction.
The work being completed includes the parking lot and landscaping, which will provide a canvas for the other amenities and structures that will be added as we move forward. We are very excited to continue the momentum around this huge project and thank the community for their support and understanding in these upcoming weeks.
- We applied for the Gunns Creek Diversion Project with the Province of Manitoba for the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region Disaster Prevention and Climate Resiliency Program. On July 23, 2020 the Province of Manitoba announced the approval of 100% funding for $2.7 million towards the Gunns Creek Diversion Project, there is NO municipal contribution required. This project is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2021, unless extenuating circumstances occur.
The retention pond portion of the drainage project will be located at the future site of the St Clements Community Building. Council’s exciting vision is to utilize the necessary retention pond to create a safe welcoming space where citizens can gather, meet and participate in activities. The final product will include aesthetic park landscaping and amenities such as trails, benches, and a floating island. Residents will have opportunities here for quiet reflection, unstructured play, walking, bike riding, walking pets, kayaking, canoeing, tobogganing, skating on the pond, and cross country skiing.
- The St. Clements Activity Centre has been a work in progress – with work constantly being done to secure funding and a strong focus on the next step forward. Council is very excited to have a vision for the park portion of the project at the St. Clements Activity Centre, which will be able to host a variety of activities for the community such as a pathway for walking and jogging, a pond for ice skating in the winter, kayaking and canoeing in the summer and a rest area around the pond for relaxation. Amenities will continue to be added to the park as we move forward, such as a playground, basketball court and picnic shelter.
The following Phase 1 items have been completed to date on the park and activity centre:
- Class 3 drawings have been completed on the activity centre
- Applications for major funding has been made to Manitoba/Canada Infrastructure for construction
- Park plans have been refined and detailed site plans have been completed
- Tender documents have been completed for shaping the park
- Drainage license for the site has been obtained
On Friday, June 12th a Provincial funding announcement of the Building Communities Grant of $75,000 for the St. Clements Activity Centre was held at the site.
This summer and fall you will see the site on Donald Rd humming with landscaping and site preparation activity for Phase 2. A tender will be released and awarded for shaping the park as per plans and the excavation and site grading will begin. Construction of an approximate 22 car parking lot at the northern end of the site at Donald Road will also begin in Phase 2 this fall with the possibility to increase this area as the project continues.
We are very excited and hope that the community will continue the momentum around this huge project!
2018 Updates
- Selkirk MLA Alan Lagimodiére confirmed a $250,000 Community Development Initiatives provincial grant with RM of St. Clements Mayor Debbie Fiebelkorn and Council on Monday, February 12, 2018.
The RM of St. Clements and the province finalized this matching grant at the end of January and will be starting work on Phase 1 any day now. The RM will match this amount with reserve funds set aside for this purpose and use municipal resources when possible as an “in-kind” contribution to maximize the grant.
The RM and project consultants will be giving two presentations on the St. Clements Activity Centre at their Pre-Budget Open House on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm and again at 7:00 pm. Staff, mayor and Council will be on hand to answer any questions.
Mayor Debbie Fielbelkorn says, “The long-awaited new St. Clements Activity Centre will serve as a hub for the community and promote activity among its residents, as well as attracting visitors to the area. We are grateful to the province for their financial support.”
Phase 1 will consist of site preparation, additional community consultation, conceptual design services and building site preparation.
After a thorough public engagement process and extensive efforts from volunteers and RM Councilors, a gap was identified in South St. Clements recreational activities.
The RM has selected a low-lying agricultural site that has traditionally had drainage problems and will be developing a retention wetland that will not only provide recreational activities such as tobogganing and skating but will help support Gunn’s Creek Drainage improvements.
2017 Updates
- Building and site plans for the St. Clements Recreation Centre are now complete. The RM will now be applying for grants from the federal and provincial governments and other sources to secure funding to start construction. Council is also considering borrowing money.
The project is budgeted for $3 million and to be funded with a combination of grants, fund raising and borrowing.
Municipal owned land on Donald Road has been selected as the best spot to develop a new facility. A committee of Council is reviewing all your past input and expects to have a design for a building and property development this fall.
The building and site are planned as a community gathering place for connecting with friends and neighbours. The building features a ‘community living room’, space for a daycare, a catering kitchen, a large space for volleyball, pickleball, fitness classes, social events and more.
The landscape features a pond with a 500 metre walking track around it and native plants to help control waterfowl populations. In winter, the pond can be used for skating and toboganning from the adjacent small hills. An added bonus to the pond is that it will also assist with drainage in the area and remove nutrients from the water before draining into the Red River.
Building Plans and Conceptual Drawings
Click image to enlarge
St. Clements Recreation Survey
Thanks to the over 300 people who completed our survey about recreation options in south St. Clements in April of 2016. Twenty-three people from south St. Clements volunteered to be on a committee to make recreations recommendations to council.
The majority of respondents were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with the current recreation options in the RM. The vast majority (65%) of respondents wanted money invested 50% in outdoor amenities and 50% in a building. Read more in the South St. Clements Survey Report.
South St. Clements Community Recreation Forum
New recreation options for South St. Clements residents have been in the works for many years. Many volunteers, RM Councilors and consultants have thought long and hard about how best to proceed. Now is the time to refresh, regroup and decide how to proceed.
Background
- 1999/2000: South St. Clements Activity Centre (SSCAC) volunteers ran recreation programs at Donald School, surveyed 1200 homes in the community about recreation needs. Details about SSCAC can be found in the South St. Clements Recreation Needs Assessment Report on pages 8-15. Download these pages.
- 2006: Donald School becomes unusable. Residents can no longer use the facility where they run recreation programs.
- 2013: Dillon Consulting completed the South St. Clements Recreation Needs Assessment that proposed seventeen recommendations to meet recreation needs of South St. Clements residents. Download South St. Clements Recreation Needs Assessment Report (10.8 MB)
- 2014: Dillon Consulting undertook a feasibility study for planning the construction of a proposed activity centre. Plans were presented at public open house on September 24, 2014.
Download RM of St. Clements Feasibility Study Part 1 (7.8 MB)
Download RM of St. Clements Feasibility Study Part 2 (7.4 MB)
Download RM of St. Clements Feasibility Study Part 3 (10 MB)
Download RM of St. Clements Feasibility Study Part 4 (3 MB)
About South St. Clements
- South St. Clements has an area of about 29 square kilometres and it is bounded by the Red River to the west, Lockport to the north, East St. Paul to the south and the floodway to the west with a small portion east of the floodway.
- Population in 2011 was 3803. Using the growth rate of the RM, the projected population of the area in 2016 is 5444.
- There are 4 centres of population: the villages of Narol and Gonor, Keaschell Trailer Park, and the area known as Old River Road.