Council for the Rural Municipality of Ritchot has decided what to do with the last year of funding from Manitoba Hydro.

For the last ten years, Manitoba Hydro has been offering compensation to municipalities impacted by the Bipole III transmission lines. Ritchot Mayor Chris Ewen says in prior years, the funding has been used for such things as community improvements, park upgrades and facility renovations. He notes Council works with a particular community to find out where the money will be best suited.

Ewen says for this final year of funding, Ritchot Council has voted unanimously in favour of taking the entire $140,000 and giving it to the community of Ile des Chenes to be used for park improvements.

He notes when this program first started, the Council of the day opted to rather use the funding each year to benefit several smaller projects. But, in recent years, the decision has been made to focus on a single large community project.

"So they can really see that a difference is being made with these funds," explains Ewen.

According to Ewen, Ritchot has a recreation master plan which involves improving park opportunities in the community of Ile des Chenes. He notes they have 30 acres reserved from the Trans Canada Energy Corporation. Today, that land is leased to a farmer, but Ewen says eventually it will become a park.

"We're really excited about this," says Ewen. "Thirty acres is a huge opportunity for park improvements and just a place to be more community friendly which is nice."

The land is located near the ball diamonds.

Ewen says any work that is done will be completed over several phases. In fact, he notes their recreation master plan probably includes at least 10 phases for this park.

"There's so many opportunities with this but it will take quite some time," says Ewen. "Let's start to tree it in, let's start to create little nice walkways and then let's look at maybe a mound for people to go sledding or tobogganing down in the winter and then maybe a little pond, potentially a dog park."

Ewen notes a committee has been working together to start dreaming of what those 30 acres could become.

"The local councillor is ecstatic," says Ewen. "I know the people will be excited to see this."

Ritchot recreation master plan, designed by Scatliff Miller Murray includes this plan for the park in Ile des Chenes.