March 2024
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204-947-1807 The debate continues on public transportation
Food for St. Patrick’s Day!
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Celebrating a local landmark
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FortWhyte Alive says Goodbye, Ken! From his friends and co-workers at FortWhyte Alive.
11 The Pas, Manitoba
Western Canada’s first talkie movie theatre gets a new life
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fter more than 40 years serving as FortWhyte Alive’s Site and Wildlife manager, Ken Cudmore fed his last bison, ploughed his last snowy road and, with the humility he’s known for, quietly left to begin a much-deserved retirement. In 1982, Ken graduated from a natural resource college in Lethbridge, Alberta. He then spent time working for the Canadian Wildlife Service and Manitoba’s Department of Natural Resources in several seasonal positions, banding ducks, conducting waterfowl population surveys and maintaining hunting checkpoints. “There’s lots of seasonal work in the summertime, but there’s not a lot of full-time jobs in that line of work,” he says. One day he dropped off a resumé at the old Fort Whyte Centre for Environmental Education on McGillivray Boulevard. “I had no idea of the major expansion they were planning
Repairs to The Lido Theatre Sign on Fisher Avenue, Town of The Pas. Ken Cudmore with a bison calf. Note that the bison calf pictured above is one that required special full-time care after being abandoned by its mother. As much as we adore them, FortWhyte does not touch the bison unless absolutely necessary. in the coming year.” Without realizing it at the time, Ken now says, “that was the best decision of my life.” One year later, while working at a duck banding operation at Dauphin
Lake, Ken’s Department of Natural Resources supervisor – a reference on that resumé – told him, “Some guy named Bill” at the new FortWhyte u 2 ‘Goodbye Ken! ’
Living Green the Manitoba way!
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ardeners rejoice! Manitoba’s only show dedicated to the gardening and green living is coming up in May. Sure, there are other local events that try to bring together all the topics that fall that under home improvement, gardening, and indoor and outdoor living, but if you’ve ever attended them, you know that there are more items for indoor kitchens and bathrooms than for outdoor spaces. Living Green offers guests the opportunity to talk to a huge variety of vendors who are just as enthusiastic to help you with solutions and to make your dreams come to fruition as you are. It is a show where passion meets purpose, ideas flourish, and innova-
The Living Green show May 3 to 5. tion blooms. At Living Green, gardening truly meets green living. Last years’ attendees found that the show was a valuable experience by having the
opportunity to chat with other attendees and experts. Everyone at the event believes that every plant you nurture is a step towards a more sustainable future. Last year, guests were delighted with the knowledge shared, the passion for gardening and commitment to environmental stewardship amongst the crowd and vendors. It really is an event that see like-minded people converge in a celebration of all things green. With a focus over the past few years on the importance of improving ones’ physical and mental health, and a push for a healthier environment, it is more obvious than ever that gardening is more than just a u 5 ‘Living Green’
NOW OPEN!
204.788.8020 | misericordiaterrace.ca
Gabrielle Swan
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theater revival project in Northern Manitoba leaves town members excited at the prospect of what’s to come in the culture sector of The Town of The Pas. The historic Lido Theatre located on Edwards Avenue in The Pas was built in 1929 by architect Max Zev Blankstein. The project was commissioned by Auguste ‘Irish’ Rivalin and his family ran the venue for four generations. Theresa Cruz, the great granddaughter of the founder, recalls the love her grandmother and second-generation owner, Mrs. Margarette Rivalin, had for the theater. “She was an opera singer who landed herself in The Pas and was always very involved in the arts community of the day,” says Margaret. On what must have been a memorable evening in 1929, in a town of 3,000 people, 500 of The Pas’ community members gathered for the opening night of what would become one of Manitoba’s finest atmospheric theaters. The yellow velvet curtains pulled back framing either side of the screen and the owner, Irish Rivlan, would start the projector for what would soon become the most popular place in town. That first evening the show was a talkie called The Hollywood Revue, and in the years that followed that same screen would bring to life films like One Night at Susies, starring Billie Dove; The Bad Man, with Walter Huston and James Rennie: and A Lady’s Morals with Grace Moore. u 5 ‘Lido Theatre’
The Heart of Independent Living