The $52.8 million expansion for Winkler Meats, the completion of multiple infrastructure projects and a number of recreational highlights were all included in Winkler Mayor Henry Siemen's' reflections of 2023. Overall, he said it was great year for the city, and a lot was accomplished.

"We were able to continue to work very hard on our Asset Management Plan to ensure we know what we have, what the condition of it is, and to know how and when we're going to need to repair, replace or upgrade."

Siemens said it's always exciting to complete planned infrastructure projects, and this year they were able to renew the George Street water reservoir. "It was something that had been on the table for some years, and for a variety of reasons, that hadn't worked. This year we were able to do it. It's a significant piece in that it helps our water distribution network work the way it should," said Siemens.

"We also had an opportunity to do a full multimodal transportation survey. It allows us to find out how we move people, and we're waiting now for the final recommendations. We're told that we're going to need to step into public transportation in a way."

The Park Street project was also completed in 2023 expanding it from north of Highway 14 to Northlands Parkway. "It allows us to connect that end of the community to the rest of Winkler, and it was amazing how quickly people started using it."

2023 also included continued investment into the city's active transportation network.

"The piece that's new to that this year is a real move into the industrial park," explained Siemens. "We built a new pathway from the Southland Mall to Eastview Drive and then south to Cargill Road."

Siemens said it's council's expectation next year's budget will allow them to extend that path down to Pembina, and then down to the new park Reinfeld has built. "It's great to be able to connect our recreation infrastructure like that. The R.M. of Stanley is our partner in recreation, and they have this new park there that they're pleased to share with us, and we're very much looking forward to being able to use that in the future." 

Siemens also highlighted some positive stats coming from a recent huge investment, the Meridian Exhibition Centre. 

"When we look at our recreation piece, four out of five baseball team age groups, Winkler won provincials. In the other one, they placed second. Most of those groups would tell us an ability to get onto the turf so early in the year in the Meridian Exhibition Centre allowed them to be considerably ahead of other teams. So when we look back now, several years ago when we built that facility, for it to so quickly generate such a positive return feels good."

A grand opening was also held for Arctic Field in the spring.

"That was nice too, and that's a good community initiative. The organization worked hard to put that together, and did a really good job, and helped us get another prime recreation asset online that is the envy of many other communities," added Mayor Siemens. "It's so good to see when the community gets behind a project to help bring it forward like that." 

Siemens said it's exciting to look back on big announcements like the Winkler Meats expansion, and continued growth in the community. 

The city also recently sold the last lot in their industrial park. Siemens said council is continuing to find ways to create options for people next year. He said council is working on some things, that they will hopefully be able to announce shortly.

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