Discussions

Hi ya'll,  
 
I was reading in the newspaper this morning and on Sound off someone mentioned 'fundraising'. I am a firm believer that when people come together, things will get done! I've been reading a lot about brandonites being disappointed with the City/Etc. that the keystone pool as been shut-down, we used to have waterslides (however I didn't see them as I wasn't here yet).  
Why don't we get a fundraising committee working on this? I am ready as I am a complainer about this too. If us locals can help fundraise, I think it would help our community out! We can't keep complaining if we are not doing nothing to help, yes we pay taxes but we can fundraise and help a little more to hopefully get things going.  
I would like to know if anyone feels the same way? and just maybe we can start making things happen! what do you think? would anyone like to take a challenge together and help start a fundraising committee? With at least 50,000 people in our little city I am sure people would love to support this cause!  
let me know your thoughts and maybe we can work together and start one  
 
**Just a Thought**

Local fundraising initiatives, along with grants/funding from various levels of government, are often the way smaller communities in Westman fund the construction of their pools, and other recreation facilities, and there are some great pools with extra features such as slides, splash pads, etc. in Westman, not that far from Brandon!  
 
Edited by Grandmama, 2019-07-19 09:42:12

It costs a lot of money to create a pool. The dream of Brandon having a pool system like Portage and such would take millions to build. Portage has a lot of naming sponsors on their buildings. We are always compared to Winnipeg. Winnipeg has 5 heated and 5 unheated pools for a population of 750 thousand. That is a pool per 75 thousand people. We currently are down one outdoor pool leaving us a pool for 50,000 people. Now we want a grander pool with the slides and such giving us two pools per 25,000 people. Seems a little costly to me.

it's only recently (in the past 2-3 years) that Winnipeg has really stepped up their game in the outdoor aquatics department with the opening of the outdoor waterslides in Transcona (and that's one facility in the corner of the city). Before that, their facilities were pretty ho-hum. My parents (who live in Winnipeg) are pretty impressed with our facilities here. Honestly, we've tried public swimming etc in Winnipeg with our kids and our facilities *are* nicer.  
 
Would it be great to have a Souris or Wawanesa-type facility here? Absolutely. We're sad that the Keystone pool has closed as that was the one we actually visited - it was good for the littles in our family. But at the same time, it seems we're never happy with what we have either - if we fundraised and built something maybe as a private-public partnership (which is what they do in Saskatchewan - and they have A LOT of really nice aquatics there) will it be "enough"?

People don’t seem to support what is already here. The water slides at the keystone don’t ever seem very busy. Same with the east end pool. People want to complain that there’s not enough to do but when there is something, it’s too expensive or they would rather travel to Souris or Portage. No matter what the city builds or private citizens fundraise for, it will never be good enough or measure up. People are never happy. Everyone wants primo facilities but no one wants to pay.

Exactly. Everybody complains about how we don’t have anything - then when we get something like the water slides and everybody complains how expensive it is. I’ve been to the water slides twice with my children and both times it was pretty quiet.

wants highend champaign and caviar but wants it for free. People don't realize the costs associated with building and maintaining a pool. Small communities seem to have an easier time to fundraise as a community to raise funds for such endeavours.

It sad that no one would even take a chance to help.  
I know City's do it. Look at other Community Centers in other places, when ours are falling apart. I was once on the boards for the Community Centers here in Brandon and the volunteer rate is very low in numbers. It seems that everyone gives up so fast or doesn't try to help but yet has time to complain about Brandon not having much to do. Comparing it to Winnipeg or small towns on a continuous basis. But yet no one wants to take the time and initiative to help or show interest in volunteering.  
 
I am sorry I asked. I hope that everyone who does volunteer has the best of luck and please inbox me if I can be of any help.  
 
Thanks for taking the time to read  
 
Adam can you please get rid of this thread. As it is leading to other conversation.  
 
Have a great summer