Snow Lake has made the finals of the Manitobaville contest, presented by Bell Media’s Manitoba properties as well as Westoba Credit Union, SAFE Work Manitoba, Roberston College, Chicken Chef, Star Building Materials Ltd, and Recycle Everywhere.
Hopeful cities were asked to prepare a video of why their community needs the grand prize, which is a cheque for $25,000.
The top 10 were named on Aug. 7 and included Snow Lake, which is hoping to use the money towards beach upgrades. The beach enhancement committee and local residents joined together to film the five-and-a-half minute video.
The committee says the money would go to the overall enhancement of the beach, starting with landscaping, and upgrading the children’s play equipment on the lakefront.
The dock is also in need of an upgrade, the video explained, as well as the floating dock out in the water, which people can swim to. Sticking with the swimming theme, another area the money would go to would be a splash pad, as they only have one water structure. “As you can tell, the town of Snow Lake is enjoyed by many, and it’s one of the most wonderful places to ever live, and raise your kids. We’re very fortunate up here and we would really like the opportunity to have this chance,” the video explained.
Workers from the local daycare were featured in the video explaining how the daycare can’t come to the beach in the summer because there is no lifeguard, but if the splash pad was improved, that would benefit their business.
Snow Lake Mayor Kim Stephen says the video was quite last minute, but finding out they made the finals was a feeling she’ll never forget. “My adrenaline was flowing. When I found out that morning that we had made it through. I was up and at my computer already sending out links to family and friends for them to support and vote for the community.”
Stephen says it’s the first time Snow Lake has taken part in Manitobaville, and hopes since the town is the only northern finalist thatother northern communities will support the town.“If it was Thompson or Churchill, we as Snow Lake would be supporting them, so I just hope anyone in the north in the paper will use the links to vote.”
Anyone can vote online once a day through the websites of CTV Morning Live, 103.1 Virgin Radio, TSN 1290, 96.1 BOB FM, 101 The Farm and 99.9 BOB fm. The winner will be announced on Aug. 21.
