Rural Roundup — July 23, 2026

RM OF DAUPHIN

It will take some time to get a handle on the flood damage caused in the RM of Dauphin this season, Reeve Ernie Sirski said.

Initial reports are that there are more than 200 road washouts, but Sirski expects that number to increase significantly. The rural municipality has more than 800 kilometres of roads.

Sirski said for now the municipality is focused on ensuring residents are safe, as some are stranded in their homes, so the extent of the damages still needs to be assessed.

He said $500,000 is currently available from the province.

Premier Wab Kinew said the province wants to build infrastructure, like culverts, that can meet more frequent and powerful storms brought by climate change.

As the cleanup continues, people are encouraged to check municipal websites and social media for information about available resources.

» Dauphin Herald

KENTON

The community of Kenton celebrated new kitchen and playground additions to the community with a ribbon cutting on Canada Day.

The playground has been erected in Kenton in a community park where a bandstand is used to entertain crowds in the summer. It is next to the community hall, where the new kitchen was installed thanks to grant funding.

Donations came from the Virden and Area Foundation, Fusion Credit Union, Richardson’s Tundra Oil & Gas (employees in energy/ag inputs), Valleyview Co-op and the Woodworth Legion. The RM of Wallace-Woodworth provided $35,000 toward the upgrade.

A dinner was cooked using the new commercial kitchen and served to community members.

Harding Ag Society put together a smoked beef and pork supper, using the new commercial kitchen and the help of Renard Meats from Virden, serving 245 guests.

The playground was made possible by fundraising by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 118 and Kenton Community Enterprises.

» Virden Empire Advance

VIRDEN

Legion members gathered this month to commemorate a new Legion-themed crosswalk with a ribbon cutting ceremony in Virden.

The crosswalk mural, painted by Johnson Commercial & Industrial Services (JCI) out of Brandon, was completed in July. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held July 7.

The crosswalks are located at the intersection of Eighth Avenue South and Wellington Street.

The centennial street art marks 100 years of the Royal Canadian Legion and was made possible by the 100th Anniversary Celebration Committee of Virden.

» Virden Empire Advance

RIVERS

The model train Little Obie returned to Rivers for another year at the Rollin’ into Rivers Festival on July 5 after it came from the Calgary Stampede.

Train engineers Jamieson Kessels and Prabath Weththasinghe were on scene and guests had the chance to take a ride around the town of Rivers on the Little Obie and learn about train and railway safety. The rides saw 287 children and adults in a five-hour span.

CN police officer Vern Novalkowski was there to hand out information and answer any questions on train safety at the start and finish line for the Little Obie rides. The rides lasted about 15 minutes.

Little Obie was brought to town by The Rivers Train Station Restoration and Heritage Committee.

» Rivers Banner

NEEPAWA

Neepawa’s infrastructure appears to have passed the test while enduring one of the heaviest rainfalls in recent memory.

The massive thunderstorm system that swept across western Manitoba in late June delivered 101.4 millimetres of rain to Neepawa. Environment and Climate Change Canada reported that Neepawa witnessed one of the largest downpours of any community during the storm, surpassed only by Boissevain (152 mm), Deloraine (129.8 mm) and Minto (113.3 mm).

Despite the exceptional amount of rain, much of Neepawa’s infrastructure withstood the deluge. Town CAO Colleen Synchyshyn said that, while the storm caused localized flooding in several locations and forced the evacuation of the Riverbend Campground, the overall outcome could have been far worse.

Synchyshyn said the town’s infrastructure performed exceptionally well under the extraordinary volume of water, even while some roads and portions of the park sustained some damage.

» Neepawa Banner & Press

BOISSEVAIN

A private lamp collection is bringing light history to the Beckoning Hills Museum in Boissevain.

The 200-plus kerosene lamps of Brandt Bessant are currently the featured display at the museum. Bessant said he gets his lamps from a variety of sources — from auction sales to Ebay. They have been in local people’s houses, barns and the home of what was then a new acquaintance in Ontario.

He said he became interested in lamps when he was young through his association with auctioneer Bob Wright. Working with the family on live auctions, he remembered the annual antique sale in Souris.

“I find the lamps fascinating because it was one of the major moves in modern history that got people out of the sunup-to-sundown living. They would get up and work all day when there was daylight and that was it.”

» The Boissevain Recorder