Recreation  

 Recreation is often thought about as sport; however, a quick look at Winnipeg’s Leisure Guide shows how vast programming can be, including arts and crafts, outdoor play, culture and spirituality, as well as sport, physical activity, and exercise. Recreation can be highly structured or less organized games, and these programs are often hosted in third places. Third places are neighbourhood spaces away from home  or work that are easy to access and cultivate community connection.1  Glover and Parry name recreation and leisure activities as the ‘sphere of  sociability,’ meaning that, although we might be motivated to engage in  recreation because of the activity, the social connections that arise out of  such spaces are paramount; recreation is where we build and maintain  supportive friendships and it is where community comes alive.2 In 2024, the Women’s Age Lab in Toronto reported on the epidemic of  loneliness, stating that one third of older adults feel lonely at least some of  the time and that this negatively influences a variety of health outcomes  measures. One of their recommendations includes a national strategy to address loneliness.3 Neighbourhood recreation that is hosted in third places is the antidote to loneliness and a facilitator of individual and community health. However, in 2018, the average condition of recreation and leisure centers, arenas, indoor and outdoor pools, was ranked at ‘fair’ with many amenities in poor condition. Many of these facilities were constructed prior to the 1972 amalgamation of 12 municipalities into the City of Winnipeg and have not received adequate funding to sustain operations and maintenance, even as use increases (e.g., the number of public swim visits to outdoor pools increased 29 per cent from 2014 to 2016).

 Winnipeg’s recreation strategy emphasizes developing and maintaining facilities at a small and large scale, from neighbourhood  (within 2km of home) to community (2km to 4km), regional (4km to 6km), and city-wide amenities. While regional and city-wide amenities are meant to serve their catchment area, a growing body of research shows a connection between low income and lack of access to recreation  services and the Winnipeg Recreation Strategy acknowledges clear geographic and socioeconomic gaps in facility quality and access. To  address this problem, the City of Winnipeg offers free public swims and  has a Recreation Fee Assistance Program that includes facility passes  (e.g., for pools, arenas, active living) and leisure guide activity credits. However, there is much criticism about how assistance programs are distributed and accessed, including that community members are not aware of them6 and that, once found, applicants need to prove their poverty through processes that are stigmatizing. Further, a focus on reducing or eliminating program fees does not address other important constraints like transportation.8 For example, regional recreation complexes are more difficult to access for individuals and families who rely on transit, and new builds may not be a part of current routes.  

 Additionally, these larger multipurpose amenities may not facilitate community building or be as welcoming as nearby and walkable  neighbourhood amenities, which act as third places. Recent regional recreation facility development projects have overrun the budget, including South Winnipeg Recreation Campus (construction to begin in 2026, currently over budget by $23 million and funded through debt)9 and the East of the Red RecPlex with current estimates over $155 million to build (a Class 3 estimate for a 2028 build).10 These funding shortfalls burden the municipality and divert funds from needed  neighbourhood amenity upgrades. As a result of this neglect, the City of Winnipeg decided to close neighbourhood outdoor pools (i.e., Norwood, 2019, Happyland, 2025). These outdoor pools, which could be open from May to September and had subsidized entry fees, were closed against substantial community outcry. Impacted communities were able to mobilize precisely because the pools acted as third places, connecting residents and cultivating friendships. Recreation is made more accessible to community members who live on low income through, for example, the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres (GCWCC), who rely on volunteers and offer free or low-cost programs at the community and neighbourhood level.  Neighbourhood recreation amenities foster accessible and equitable services, social inclusion, and community connections. The Winnipeg Recreation Strategy11 recommends an “equity-based planning approach prioritizing programs, tools, and resources that remove barriers to participation and achieve successful outcomes for all residents” and the AMB addresses this by focusing on smaller scale amenities. 

 Actions •

 The UMAR HAYAT will re-fund recreation infrastructure to invest in Winnipeggers equitably. According to the 2021 Winnipeg Recreation Strategy, the City of Winnipeg’s recreation assets have a $778 million total infrastructure deficit. Over the next ten years, this infrastructure deficit will be addressed at $77.8 million per annum. Financed over 20 years at an interest rate of 5.5 per cent the annual cost of debt is $4.1 million.

 • The UMAR HAYAT will emphasize maintaining existing walkable neighborhood recreation amenities (defined as community centers, recreation and leisure centers, and outdoor pools), particularly in low-income communities. When amenities are decommissioned, they will be replaced. The Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) guidelines for facility maintenance investment, which includes replacement reserves of between 3–4 per cent of current replacement value, at $56 million per annum. Financed over 20 years at an interest rate of 5.5 per cent the annual cost of debt is $2.95 million.

 • The UMAR HAYAT will support volunteer development in community centres.  This includes paid staff with a mandate to engage volunteers, as well as volunteer capacity building programs. A study of the 63 General Council of Winnipeg Community Centers is necessary to determine the volunteer engagement requirements in Winnipeg, as well as a comparative study of cities in Canada for their community Centre governance and administration models. One full-time programming coordinator for each community centre in high needs areas as identified in the General Council study, four staff at $260,000 per annum.

 • The UMAR HAYAT will increase the capacity of neighbourhood associations and community groups to lead neighbourhood activities (e.g., walking/running/biking groups, community gardens and gardening clubs, walking or biking school buses). Edmonton’s ‘Neighbouring  for Climate’ program offers a toolkit that can act as a model for this initiative. One full-time program leader for each community centre in high needs areas as identified in the General Council study, four staff at $168,000 per annum.

 • The UMAR HAYAT will introduce third party referral options for Fee Assistance Programs (FAPs) that will serve citizens who are living on low or no income. Third party referral responsibilities should be shared among Winnipeg nonprofit organizations and emergency shelters, school divisions, and mental health and health professionals. One full-time programming coordinator to support nonprofit engagement at $60,000 per annum.