Your neighbours on Selkirk Avenue are hurting
Morning from the Beautiful Plains — here's what's blooming in Neepawa.
Okay, so this one just hit me a bit hard. We've been talking so much about growth, about new folks finding their footing here, and then you hear about our seniors, right here on Selkirk Avenue, feeling unsafe in their own homes. This isn't some abstract problem; it's about the 55-plus social housing complex, and it’s about residents who have called Neepawa home for decades now feeling like they're living in a different town entirely. The stories coming out about increased safety issues and deteriorating living conditions, apparently since tenants with a history of homelessness moved in, are just heartbreaking.
### Our Shared Responsibility
This isn't about blaming anyone. It's about recognizing that as we grow – and Neepawa's growth from a declining prairie town to one of Manitoba's fastest-growing communities is something I’m incredibly proud of – we also face new challenges. Our community has always prided itself on looking out for each other, from the folks at the Neepawa & Area Cattlemen to everyone who gathers for the Lily Festival. When our elders, who built so much of this town, feel vulnerable, it tells us we have work to do.
* **What this means for Neepawa:**
* It highlights the need for careful planning in social housing.
* It shows the impact of broader societal challenges right here on our streets.
* It calls on us to find solutions that protect everyone, especially our seniors.
We talk about the HyLife plant bringing so many people here, about the vibrancy of the Filipino community, and how we're building a new future. But that future has to be safe and welcoming for *everyone*, including the long-time residents of Selkirk Avenue. We can't let our growth overshadow the need to care for our most vulnerable.
Morning from the Beautiful Plains — here's what's blooming in Neepawa.
You know, the team on 'Beautiful Plains Bright & Early' probably has a lot more to say about this. Catch them live at mornings.live.