1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Barkman Concrete Products building a better septic tank

It has often been said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that was never more true than in the case of the Steinbach plumbing and hardware firm that established the province’s largest concrete products plant, starting with the designing and building of a better septic tank for both urban and rural homes.

The first Barkman Concrete plant, built in 1960, produced precast septic tanks, around which the plant was built; it also produced precast concrete steps, sidewalk blocks, patio blocks and ornamental iron railings.

It was only 10 years earlier, in 1952, when the first precast septic tank was built in a small addition to the rear of the Barkman Hardware store on Main Street.

When K.R. Barkman and his three sons set up a hardware, plumbing, and heating business back in 1947, each of the three sons headed a department. Edwin managed the hardware store, Peter acted as trouble shooter and salesman for heating and plumbing and Arnold was in charge of plumbing installations.

Manitobans have chosen the loon to grace new specialty licence plate

Manitobans have voted and their choice is the loon.

More than 62,600 people voted for their favourite specialty licence plate design this summer with the loon coming out on top, one of four designs submitted by Manitoba Public Insurance in support of Manitoba Parks.

“Manitobans love our provincial parks, and this licence plate will help you show your support,” stated Premier Wab Kinew in a press release. “Thousands of Manitobans voted for their favourite design option, with the loon coming out on top. I look forward to seeing these licence plates on cars across the province in both English and French (a first).”

A portion of the proceeds from every licence plate sold will go to the Manitoba Provincial Parks Endowment Fund through The Winnipeg Foundation. The money will support park improvements that enhance ecological integrity, improve public safety, enhance accessibility, and enrich visitor experiences in Manitoba parks, according to the press release.

Stuartburn to hold youth study, ‘To me, it’s survival’: Gawronsky

The RM of Stuartburn is looking to do a youth study and the reeve said it’s a matter of survival.

“Survival. To me, it’s survival,” said Reeve Michelle Gawronsky. “If they’re not here, then eventually we will become a ghost town like so many other small rural areas.”

Gawronsky said there has been a loss of the family farm with the industrialization of agriculture in the RM. She said council wants to know what do youth want in their communities to stay there or what will make them return after university.

“After completing our strategic plan, and having the community involved in doing the strategic plan, one of the areas that was suggested that the RM could look into further was in the youth,” she said.

Martin to play at Winnipeg Jets development tournament

Oakbank’s Owen Martin in continuing his Winnipeg Jets journey.

The team’s 2025 third-round draft pick will be back in action for the NHL team at the Prospect Challenge in Gatineau Que., Sept. 12-13.

Top prospects from the Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens will also be at the event, with Winnipeg taking on Montreal Sept. 12 and Toronto Sept. 13. Puck drop for both games is noon CDT. Before heading out East, the team will practice Sept. 11 at 9:15 a.m. at the Hockey for All Centre.

The Jets are planning on broadcasting the games on the team website.

Labour board ruling halts Dynacare strike

The Manitoba Labour Board has cut short a strike by 350 lab workers employed by Dynacare who administer blood and urine tests for patients in Steinbach, Winnipeg, Brandon and Winkler.

The board ruled late Tuesday afternoon that the workers, who hit the picket line at 6 a.m., must return to work Wednesday.

Jason Linklater, president of their union, the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, slammed the board’s decision.

“The Manitoba Labour Board is doing exactly what the government asked them to do: they are taking away our members’ right to fight for fairness,” he said in a statement.

Steinbach Regional Sabres building for WHSFL season

The Steinbach Regional Secondary Sabres varsity football team has a tough challenge on their hands to start the Winnipeg High School Football League schedule.

The Sabres take on defending champions Oak Park at home in the first week of the season. In order to prepare for the challenge, the team scheduled an exhibition game against traditional powerhouses St Paul’s Sept. 3. After a first quarter battle which saw the Sabres fall behind just 3-0, they faded in the third quarter, going on to lose 43-0.

Head coach Stephen Fedus said after the game he liked the way the team played in the fourth quarter.

“It took a little while, but the team started responding better to the different situations that we were facing,” Fedus told The Carillon a day after the game.

Springfield football aiming high in transition year

The Springfield Sabres football team will have a new look on the sidelines this season, but the play on the field should look the same.

Head coach Tom Walls has left the program, as he moves to Colombia. The coach has spent time around the world, including in America, Ireland and Korea.

“At fifty-five, I don’t know exactly what life in Colombia will look like, but I do know something I didn’t know fifteen years ago,” Walls wrote in his Substack.

“The opposite of fear isn’t certainty. It’s trust in yourself. Trust that you can make new friends. Trust that you’ll find meaningful work. Trust that, given enough time, unfamiliar streets become familiar, strangers become neighbours, and another place eventually starts feeling like home.”

Carillon Sports Second Shots: September 3rd edition

Featuring a Hanover Sting game Aug. 26, Hanover Kickers game at the Steinbach Soccer Park Aug. 28, The MCT Icebreaker Tournament in Morris Aug. 30 and Steinbach Pistons and Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres Football camps Aug. 31.

Toews not returning to Hanover School Division

Hanover School Division trustee Charmaine Toews is not returning to represent Ward 2 in the upcoming fall election.

“While I have decided that serving another term is not the right choice for me, I sincerely hope that good people will step forward in every ward in this election,” she wrote in a press release, noting the division needs “wise, respectful, professional, rational, and empathetic trustees who understand both the responsibility and the privilege of governing a school division.”

This was Toews’ first term as trustee and while her press release didn’t give a reason for not seeking re-election, she did share the reason why she decided to run four years ago.

“I wanted to represent the parents, students and staff of Hanover with integrity, ask good questions, listen carefully, and make decisions based on what would best serve our students and communities,” she wrote.

Altona Maroons join CRJHL

The Capital Region Junior Hockey League will be one franchise bigger this season, as the league welcomes the Altona Maroons.

The Maroons are the eighth franchise to join the league, which also features St Malo and La Broquerie. A franchise in Altona has been in the works for multiple years.

Altona will open their season hosting defending champion La Broquerie in a pre-season game Sept. 20. They will visit St Malo for the first time Oct. 30 and La Broquerie Nov. 20.

The CRJHL has added three teams since its founding in 2018. Beausejour joined in 2023 and La Broquerie in 2024. Altona will be led by Mark Thiessen, who coached the Winkler Flyers in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League between 2006 and 2010.

COLUMN: On the Fence Line – Helping a friend: Transporting someone else’s horse

Horse owners are always willing to lend a hand. Whether it’s hauling a horse home from a clinic, helping after a vehicle breakdown or transporting a horse in an emergency, assisting a fellow horse owner is part of what makes the equine community so supportive. Before heading down the road, however, it’s worth taking a few extra minutes to ensure both the horse and trailer are ready for a safe trip.

Before transporting any horse:

 Inspect the trailer, hitch, tires, lights and safety chains.

 Check that dividers, doors and ramps are properly secured.

Brian Esau running for third term on council representing Mitchell ward

RM of Hanover Coun. Brian Esau said he is running for his third term on council as there are projects he would like to see completed within the municipality.

“I’ve really enjoyed the last term and a half that I’ve been in here. I’ve really enjoyed working with the councillors and the reeve to make improvements in the municipality, and I would like to continue to do that,” he said. “There’s a few projects that we’ve started that I’d like to see come to fruition, and that’s the reason I’d like to run again.”

Esau comes from a rural background. He took over his father’s dairy farm just outside of Mitchell and ran it for 20 years before deciding to follow a different career path as the manager of an electrical company in Steinbach in 2002. He held that position for 21 years and upon retirement decided politics was his next path in life.

“I was on the LUD for just about 10 years, and so I got a taste of what I could make as a difference in Mitchell, and so therefore when the opportunity presented itself, then I just figured I’d take that next step, and I retired from my business so I had time to do this, so that’s the step I took,” he said.