A South Osborne church property is set for a major transformation as community leaders launch a $4.4-million redevelopment project that will convert the church building into \u201cThe Commons,\u201d a new childcare and neighbourhood hub aimed at addressing Winnipeg\u2019s ongoing childcare shortage.<\/p>\n
The project, led by South Osborne Commons Inc. in partnership with Churchill Park United Church, will redevelop the property at 525 Beresford Avenue into a multi-use facility featuring 112 licensed childcare spaces, along with community gathering areas and future shared-use space.<\/p>\n
Organizers say the initiative grew out of both necessity and opportunity as the congregation looked for a sustainable future for its building while responding to significant childcare gaps in South Osborne, Riverview, and Lord Roberts.<\/p>\n
At a recent news conference, speakers described the area as a \u201cchildcare desert,\u201d particularly for infants, with families reporting long waitlists and limited access to licensed care.<\/p>\n
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One parent, Karlee MacDonald, shared her experience of being on a waitlist for an extended period while navigating challenges securing childcare for her young child. Organizers say stories like hers reflect a broader issue affecting families across the community, including employment stability and workforce participation.<\/p>\n
The new centre will operate as a satellite location of Riverview Ashland Child Care Centre, and will provide care for infants, preschoolers, and school-aged children.<\/p>\n
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Funding model and campaign launched<\/p>\n
The project will be funded through a mixed model, with about 60 percent of costs expected to come from a provincial capital program for childcare infrastructure, pending approval. The remaining 40 percent will need to be raised through community fundraising and financing.<\/p>\n
Organizers say closing that gap is the main challenge moving forward.<\/p>\n
A capital campaign titled \u201cBuild the Commons\u201d has been launched, including a \u201c100 by 1,000\u201d initiative aimed at securing 100 donors contributing $1,000 each to help reduce borrowing and improve long-term financial sustainability.<\/p>\n
Phased construction plan<\/p>\n
If approvals and financing are secured, construction could begin as early as late fall, following permitting and final applications.<\/p>\n
The childcare facility is expected to take roughly eight to nine months to complete, with operations potentially beginning in 2027.<\/p>\n
A second phase of development is also planned, including a commercial kitchen and an upstairs multi-purpose community space. However, organizers say that portion remains on hold until additional funding is secured.<\/p>\n
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Church transition and relocation<\/p>\n
During construction, the congregation of Churchill Park United Church will temporarily relocate to Augustine United Church in Osborne Village for approximately 18 months.<\/p>\n
Minister Dawn Rolke says the transition comes with financial and operational challenges, but church leaders hope to return to the redeveloped site once construction is complete.<\/p>\n
She says the vision includes a flexible upper-floor space that could host community groups of roughly 50 to 70 people.<\/p>\n
Church leaders acknowledge the emotional weight of leaving a long-time home, but say the project represents a long-term legacy for the congregation and the wider community.<\/p>\n
As the congregation ages, leaders say they were forced to discern how best to steward a large and aging building while continuing their mission in the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n
Rolke has also emphasized that while the building will change, the congregation\u2019s identity and work will continue beyond the physical space.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead<\/p>\n
Organizers say the goal is to create a shared-use facility that blends childcare, community programming, and rental space under one roof, addressing both immediate needs and long-term neighbourhood sustainability.<\/p>\n
While funding gaps and approvals remain key hurdles, supporters say momentum is building as families, donors, and community groups rally behind the project.<\/p>\n
If successful, \u201cThe Commons\u201d will expand childcare capacity in Winnipeg\u2019s south-central neighbourhoods while reimagining how a historic church property can serve as a modern community hub.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A South Osborne church property is set for a major transformation as community leaders launch a $4.4-million redevelopment…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":764870,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194296],"tags":[49,48,22073],"class_list":["post-764869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-winnipeg","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-winnipeg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=764869"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/764869\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/764870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=764869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=764869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=764869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}