1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Hospital sundial marks Steinbach centennial

JULY 31, 1974 - A unique bronze sundial, the first of its kind in Canada, and only the second in all of North America, was unveiled on the Bethesda Hospital grounds by Manitoba Lieutenant Governor W.J. McKeag to commemorate Steinbach’s centennial year.

Funded jointly by sponsoring municipalities, hospital staff and private donors, the $6,000 project (nearly $39,000 in today’s dollars) incorporates the spirit of the early Mennonite pioneers and represents the third centennial undertaking by the hospital. The fountain and decorative lighting on the hospital grounds were constructed during the 1967 Canadian and 1970 provincial centennial years.

Speaking briefly following the unveiling, the lieutenant-governor paid tribute to the contribution Mennonites have made to the province’s ethnic mosaic.

“You have enriched our province … through your hard work and religious principles influencing your lives.”

Steinbach’s Jake Epp Library sees drug use, violent incidents spike

Steinbach’s library is seeking security improvements after staff have faced rising drug use and violence, forcing employees to respond to overdoses and close off part of the library.

The Jake Epp Library began locking its bathroom doors, closing off its hobby corner and conducting bag checks in March in response to violent incidents and increased drug use inside the space.

Library director Aubrey Walker said staff have received extra training on how to use Naloxone and to respond to crisis events, despite it not being part of their job description.

“We aren’t really paid the big bucks to work at the library. Sometimes that big level of responsibility that you really feel in caring for the community in that way can be quite stressful,” she said.

Nighthawks on the brink of MJHL championship

The Niverville Nighthawks are just one win away from lifting the Turnbull Cup Trophy.

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s newest franchise took a commanding 3-0 lead in the finals, defeating Virden 6-3 thanks to high-end scoring, a great penalty kill and more solid goaltending.

The Nighthawks have been perfect on the penalty kill through the series so far, including a perfect 8/8 in game three.

“We’ve had one of the top penalty kills in this league all season and we just continued that process of just defending hard,” head coach Dwight Hirst said following the victory.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: April 16th edition

Featuring photos from MJHL games in Steinbach and Niverville April 10 and a Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League finals game in Transcona April 14.

Filipino group to celebrate Filipino Heritage Month with June event

A local group of about 10 friends and family members have banded together to create an event to celebrate Filipino Heritage Month in June.

“What gave me the idea is that every year we come together for Christmas, right, for the holidays, but that’s only like once a year. And ever since the Filipino Heritage Month… has been passed into an act in 2022, and ever since, we haven’t really had a celebration to kind of honour that event in Manitoba, especially here in the Southeast,” said co-organizer Angelica San Juan.

San Juan, who used to be an officer with the Southeast Manitoba Filipino Association, estimates the number of Filipinos in the Southeast sits at about 5,000. Statistics Canada reports that in 2021, a 25 percent sample of the population of Steinbach recorded 1,520 Filipinos, or 8.6 percent of the population. Manitoba has the highest rate of Filipinos per capita in Canada at 94,315 people, or 7.2 percent of the population, according to government statistics.

“We have quite a growing population of Filipinos in Steinbach, and not just in Steinbach, but like around the Southeast. And so this is a perfect opportunity to just come together and just recognize the contributions and to celebrate our heritage and to celebrate our new home here in the Southeast,” said San Juan, remarking that Filipinos choose to live in the Southeast because it’s peaceful, has a welcoming spirit, and economically businesses like HyLife employ a lot of Filipinos in manufacturing/production jobs.

Jake Epp Library sprouts free seed library

Steinbach’s library will offer growers an easy way to start a new garden with no cost.

The Jake Epp Library is launching its first seed library on April 20, a free resource which residents can sign out different seeds for planting. Jill Snider, the library’s outreach and content coordinator, views the new initiative as an important step in helping biodiversity and food insecurity.

“There’s something very lovely about the idea of giving people access to something that they can grow themselves, kind of puts the power back in the people’s hands,” she told The Carillon.

Up to 300 different seeds of vegetables, flowers and herbs will be lent out. Much of the seeds have been donated by the Steinbach Garden Club, individuals and Canadian seed companies. Snider has donated her own native species seeds, such as milkweed, in hopes of helping migrating monarch butterflies.

Tache reaches contract agreement with union to end strike

Rural Municpality of Tache public works employees left picket lines and returned to work on Friday after union members ratified a new contract, ending the 46-day strike.

Utilities, solid waste and public works members of the Operating Engineers of Manitoba Local 987 launched the strike on Feb. 23 to push for a new deal following the previous collective expiring in December 2024. The 22 members raised concerns over wages keeping pace with neighbouring municipalities, such as Springfield. The strike halted snowplows, reduced landfill hours and stopped drain clearing to mitigate spring flooding.

Trevor Yuriy, representative for Operating Engineers of Manitoba Local 987, said in an email statement members ratified the new deal Thursday evening, with an “overwhelming majority” voting to accept it.

“Our members returned to work this morning and are eager to provide the necessary services to the ratepayers of the municipality,” he said.

Former Pistons Amsbaugh, Birnie take pro steps

A pair of former Steinbach Pistons have moved up in the professional hockey ranks.

Braden Birnie, who joined the Pistons for their run to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League finals in 2022 via a mid-season trade, signed a professional try-out contract with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League.

After completing four years at the NCAA’s University of Alaska-Fairbanks this season, he turned pro, joining the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL, where he made an immediate impact.

His six points in nine games was enough to impress the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, which signed him to a try-out April 1.

Tache bee farmer feels sting from spring flooding

A Rural Municipality of Tache bee farmer is facing thousands of dollars in damages to his beekeeping shed after ditches near his home overflowed and flooded his property.

David Lee, owner of Lee’s Bees Honey, said his shed, which he uses to winter his 100 bee hives and process honey and wax, was filled with four inches of water when it flooded on April 6. The 64-year-old was forced to move his bees outdoors sooner than usual due to the flood.

“They (the bees) are the most sensitive at this point in time. They’ve gone through a winter in a building. They can’t get out, they can’t go to the bathroom and they’re living on their stores. They’re at their weakest point is right now, and this is a big stressor for them. They didn’t need it,” he said.

Water began flowing into his shed on April 6, with the level steadily rising until April 8. Inside the shed, hundreds of dead bees lay floating in the water. Lee said mold is the biggest risk facing the bees because they generate heat while inside the clusters, and the extra humidity from the flooding creates ideal conditions for mold in the hives. He doesn’t know how many hives he will lose, but he’s expecting at least 10.

Mistelbacher signs AHL deal with Belleville

Steinbach’s Luke Mistelbacher has locked in where he will continue his foray into professional hockey.

The 2005-born forward signed with the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators April 8, after the Brandon Wheat Kings were eliminated from the Western Hockey League playoffs.

Mistelbacher is joining Belleville immediately on an amatuer try out contract and has signed formally for the 2026/2027 season. Belleville is the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.

Last year, Mistelbacher played with the AHL’s Iowa Wild for a couple games on an amateur try out contract, nabbing his first professional goal.