1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Clearspring Centre renovation complete

NOVEMBER 12, 2001—Steinbach MLA Jim Penner cut the ribbon to officially mark the completion of a $2.5 million renovation at Clearspring Centre in Steinbach, which had been opened in May of 1980 under the name of Clearspring Village.

Former co-owner Jim Penner (he has sold his interest in the mall to family members and is now the MLA for Steinbach), recalled making the decision to go ahead with construction of the shopping centre in partnership with local businessman Ernie Penner, after realizing the physical inadequacies of their old business locations.

At the time, he was owner of Penner Foods, which he operated until selling the group of stores to the IGA chain of national supermarkets in 1998. Ernie Penner, who sold his share of the mall to Jim Penner in 1996, owned E.G. Penner Building Centre, since relocated in a new freestanding site across the street from the Clearspring complex.

The first phase of renovations included major re-roofing, new heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, new floor tiles, a new ceiling with additional skylights and new lighting.

Khan goes independent after leaving PCs, Narth takes leadership role

Progressive Conservative leader Obby Khan quit his party on Monday citing in-fighting with party members as the reason.

“I am not leaving because I lost the confidence of caucus,” he told reporters outside the Opposition leader’s office at the legislature. “I won that more than two to one. I’m not leaving because I’m unwilling to fight. I have spent my life fighting for things I believe in. I am making this decision because I will not allow a fight for a title to take precedence over my responsibility to Manitobans and compromise my personal integrity,” he said during a 20-minute address, after which he took no questions from reporters.

Khan survived a confidence vote on Friday with 13 votes to six. Despite this, the former Winnipeg Blue Bomber decided to step down as he learned that party members were meeting Monday night to subvert that confidence vote and he wasn’t going to sacrifice his principles to stay.

“Leadership requires listening, but it also requires knowing when internal conflict has begun to overshadow the work people have elected us to do. I have heard criticism of some of the choices I made as leader, including whom I entrusted with responsibilities in various roles,” he told reporters.

Beauty, bikes and brunch

Southeast Cancer Support Services (SCSS) is organizing its community fundraiser event, Beauty, Bikes and Brunch, to raise money for cancer support programs and skin testing clinics on Saturday at Smitty’s in Steinbach.

The fundraiser is being held to support cancer patients and families in southeast Manitoba. It will include stories from survivors, a spin class, brunch, skin care product samples, and a chance to win prizes.

“We are doing pancakes and mimosas. We love that we get to watch our guests through so many phases of their lives; and to us that also means being there during the times when they need support,” Smitty’s owner Kaely Dyck said in a press release.

SCSS said the event is open to everyone including riders, newcomers, and spectators. Riders at the event will get a chance to win prizes. Tickets for the public are also available in advance online. The grand prizes include Winnipeg Jets game tickets, gift cards and skin products, Winnipeg Blue Bombers game tickets, Zoom teeth whitening and a family staycation.

Keeping community while handling growth

Gary Dyck, a council candidate for the City of Steinbach, said it’s important to keep Steinbach’s caring nature while handling growth.

“I think a key for this council is to figure out how do we build our capacity as a city while still keeping the village vibe, the caring community aspect,” he said.

Dyck, a chaplain at Bethesda Regional Health Centre and former executive director of the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) said he grew up in Steinbach, left to do development work in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and northwest China, but came back after the genocide began in 2016 in China.

“I left for 18 years but I’ve always had Steinbach in my heart,” he said. “I just love supporting community and working with others on important projects.”

SRSS receivers commit to University of Manitoba

Two of the first three high school players to commit to the University of Manitoba Bisons this season hail from Steinbach, as receivers Ben Webster and Parker Mantie will be joining the brown and gold next season.

Both players boast great size and skill for the receiver position, standing well over six feet tall. Both also suited up for the province at this summer’s Canada Cup, and were regular targets for Team Manitoba quarterbacks.

“They’re very well-rounded and that’s what has drawn interest in them,” SRSS head coach Stephen Fedus, who was on the provincial team’s coaching staff, said.

“Their ability to block, their ability to run their ability play special teams, their ability to catch and be receivers, their ability to be in on short-yardage situations, they’ve both played offensive line when we’ve had injuries. They’re that level of athlete.”

Carillon Sports Second Shots: September 24th edition

Featuring an SRSS/Landmark girls high school soccer game Sept. 16, a Springfield Sabres football game in the city Sept. 17 and MJHL home openers in Niverville and Steinbach Sept. 18/19.

Border runner faces slew of charges

A North Dakota man is facing 10 charges after fleeing the Emerson port of entry and leading RCMP on a high-speed chase on Highway 75.

Emerson RCMP say they were notified of the situation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), at 6:23 p.m. on Sept. 12.

Police say the suspect entered Canada from North Dakota, stopped at the Emerson port of entry but fled at a high rate of speed when directed to secondary screening.

Officers from the Emerson, Morris, and St Pierre RCMP detachments as well as the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) responded.

Portage Islanders leave SEMHL for a season

There will be one fewer team playing in the South East Manitoba Hockey League this season.

The league announced the Portage Islanders will be taking a one-year leave of absence this season, setting up an eight-team loop for the SEMHL’s 75th anniversary season.

The Springfield Winterhawks based out of Oakbank, Ile des Chenes North Stars and Red River Wild based out of St Jean, are all returning to play in the league.

A league meeting earlier in September also set out the schedule and playoff format for the upcoming season. Teams will play a 17-game regular season with all eight franchises playing in the first round of the playoffs.

Vassar continues 46-year Terry Fox tradition

Mementoes and photographs of past Terry Fox Runs adorned the wall of the small community club in Vassar on Sunday. Participants filed in and were greeted by name. The smell of coffee was in the air, and tables included the latest Terry Fox swag available for purchase.

The event ran like clockwork. Donations were processed, a short speech was made, a group photo was taken and the walk began.

Later they met up for hot dogs.

Judy Preteau was the original organizer of the walk and continues 46 years later.

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Jim Penner buying tons of cake mixes

OCTOBER 5, 1962 - The grocer down the street earned a reputation and a nickname by bringing in train carloads of canned goods to sell at discounted prices, but Jim Penner at Penner’s Tom-Boy is not about to be outdone by “Carload Frank” and promises his “bake sale” this week will “take the cake”.

Thirteen tons of Betty Crocker cake mix and assorted General Mills cereals, were delivered by semi-trailer to the Main Street store on Monday. While people eat cake every day, and there shouldn’t be anything special about a cake delivery to Steinbach, this is the very first time any Manitoba storekeeper has ever ordered that much Betty Crocker cake mix at one time.

General Mills salesman Ken Walker, who was on hand to supervise the unloading, said the last time his company wrote up an order of this size it was not for one store, but for a whole chain of outlets in Edmonton.

The 1,800 cases of cake mix, enough to fill a railroad boxcar, rolled in at the unloading platform on Monday morning. Each case contains 12 packages of cake mix and before the last delicious crumb slithers down into the last tummy of the last purchaser, customers at Penner’s Tom-Boy will have consumed well over 21,000 cakes.

MJHL hires long-time broadcaster Munz

A familiar face and voice to Manitoba hockey fans will be patrolling rinks across the province this winter, as the Manitoba Junior Hockey League announced they had hired Brian Munz to be their manager of league development.

Munz worked as a broadcaster for the Winnipeg Jets and was previously the play-by-play announcer for the Manitoba Moose. He was the director of communications for the Winnipeg Ice Western Hockey League franchise before they moved and also runs communications for Golf Manitoba.

“My life’s been hockey for 30-plus years at all different levels,” Munz said before the start of an MJHL game in Niverville Sept. 18.

“Getting a chance to get back to my roots and support (league commissioner Kevin Saurette) and (marketing and partnerships director Erik Swar) and the teams across the league is something I’m really excited for.”