"Very busy."

That is how Hanover Reeve Jim Funk is describing 2022 for his municipality. And, when asked what the highlight was this last year, Funk says it was the major announcement made in August. On August 18, the upper levels of government promised funding for a $110 million wastewater treatment facility. The project will benefit the town of Niverville and Rural Municipalities of Hanover, Ritchot and Tache. 

As for the greatest challenge in 2022, Funk says that was the wet spring. The combination of above-average snowfall, a late melt and heavy spring rains resulted in 58 road washout sites identified for funding through the province.

"The washouts certainly kept our (crews) busy," notes Funk.

2022 also saw Hanover receive more than $447,000 in grants. Through the Building Sustainable Communities program, the Mitchell skatepark received $159,450, the New Bothwell outdoor rink $75,000, the Blumenort washroom facility $75,000 and the Grunthal soccer pitch $75,000. Hanover also received $63,043 through Trails Manitoba for the Henervic Trail.

A number of capital projects were completed in 2022. In September, work was completed on the new skatepark in Mitchell and in December they finished the new outdoor rink in New Bothwell. In Grunthal, crews built a new soccer field, anticipating a potential opening in either late 2023 or spring of 2024. In Blumenort, construction took place on a new washroom, canteen and picnic shelter with the project expected to be completed in spring of 2023. And, in Mitchell, renovations were completed on the Mitchell Community Centre, formerly known as the Mitchell Seniors Centre.

In 2022, the Rural Municipality of Hanover completed more than $2 million in improvements to roads and sidewalks. The costliest projects included reconstruction of Road 38N ($485,000), asphalt overlay on Cottonwood Road ($315,000), reconstructing and paving Froese Road in Grunthal ($230,000), reconstructing and paving Deerpath in Kleefeld ($220,000) and asphalt overlay on Crown Valley Road in New Bothwell ($200,000).

And finally, 2022 saw Hanover roll out a pilot compost program in August for curbside pickup in Mitchell. 334 residents participated in the program in 2022 with 20,560 kilograms collected over the fall schedule. Meanwhile, a new contract was also awarded to Bristal Hauling in 2022 to handle recycling pickup in urban communities as well as some rural depots. 

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