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In
2007,
Neighbourhoods Alive!, a
department of Manitoba Intergovernmental Affairs, announced
an expansion to their program to five new communities,
including Portage la Prairie. Neighbourhoods Alive! (NA!) is
a program of the Manitoba Government that provides support
to urban neighbourhoods through community-driven
revitalization efforts. To help establish revitalization
priorities, Neighbourhoods Alive! saw to the establishment
of an Interim Advisory Committee made up of interested
community members. Included in the mandate of this committee
was to develop a neighbourhood renewal plan based on
community consultations, and to recommend a process for
coordinating ongoing revitalization efforts in the
community.
To
develop the neighbourhood renewal plan, the Interim Advisory
Committee partnered with the Portage Community Network in a
consultation of residents and stakeholders to determine the
community revitalization priorities in our community. The
partnering with the Portage Community Network provided an
opportunity to contract with the University of Winnipeg,
Institute of Urban Studies to conduct Community Forums,
Focus Groups and One on One Interviews to identify key
priorities for the community. Based on the priority areas
and recommendations listed in the Social Planning report,
the Portage CRC Board of Directors developed a list of
priorities and related goals to guide the activities of the Portage CRC over the next
five years.
At the
same time as the study was being conducted, the Interim
Advisory Committee recommended that the creation of a new
Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation to coordinate ongoing
revitalization efforts in the community. In July 2008, the
Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation
(Portage CRC) was incorporated with the members of the
Interim Advisory Committee forming the first Board of
Directors. Neighbourhoods Alive! provides funding for the
operation of the Portage CRC. |
