An expansion to a Winnipeg community centre which would entail a new arena is one step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to funding from the federal government. On Monday, the federal government announced $7.5 million for the first phase of a development project at the Dakota Community Centre in St. Vital. “This is a very exciting day for us here at Dakota Community Centre,” said Michele Augert, the community centre’s president and CEO. “It’s taking a vision that we have had for a very long time and starting to make it a reality.” The project would see a third indoor arena added to the facility, equipped with seating for 750 spectators, according to Augert. She said it would also involve the expansion of the recreation centre to include a childcare centre, a new gym and other infrastructure upgrades. Augert said the funds will play a significant role in working towards site preparations and a design—which she said will involve community consultations. Altogether, she estimated the full project to cost in the $50 million range. “The demand for more ice time, for more facility space, is always there,” Augert said. “We have thousands and thousands of people who come through our doors every week, and there is always just more and more space being asked for.” She said the community centre fulfills the needs of the southeast quadrant of the city and beyond, adding that provincial and national events have been hosted at the facility throughout its history. “By supporting this expansion, we are enhancing the centre’s energy efficiency, helping reduce operating costs, and making it a more accessible and resilient community hub for years to come,” said Terry Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, in a news release. To help gather the remaining funds, Augert said the Dakota Community Centre will be launching a capital campaign which will involve community members. The municipal and provincial governments have yet to contribute funds to the project, though Augert noted the project is in its early stages. “We were very, very grateful that the feds have stepped up at this point in time to be the first ones to kind of kick off their support for this project, giving us the ability to start the planning.” She said that if everything comes together, the expanded facility could be open to the public as early as the last quarter of 2028.
