Midweek check-in, Winnipeg 💙

What a storm that was last night. The wind, the hail, the rain, it all came down at once. We hope you and your home made it through okay.

Looks like the rain is sticking around for the next few days too, so take it easy out there. Give yourself extra time on the roads and stay safe and dry.

Grab your coffee, settle in, and let's get into what's happening around Winnipeg.

Now, in today’s edition:

— Jas Singh

Anyone who has spent a summer in Manitoba knows how much our parks mean to us.

Whether it's a beach day, a hike, or an afternoon by the lake, our summers are made for the outdoors.

And now there's a small way to carry a bit of that with you, right on your car.

The province is asking Manitobans to vote on the design for a brand new provincial parks licence plate.

This idea came from the Nature Conservancy of Canada, which is a non-profit organization focused on conservation and habitat protection.

And here's the part we love most: a share of every plate sold goes straight back into our parks, through the Manitoba Provincial Park Endowment Fund at The Winnipeg Foundation.

That money helps fund habitat protection, safety and accessibility upgrades, and better experiences across all 93 of our provincial parks.

The online survey is open until July 31, so if you want to support Manitoba's parks, this is one of the easiest ways to do it. Just pick the design you love most.

Click here: To view all the designs and take the online survey!

Ask just about anyone where they'd love to live in Winnipeg, and one name keeps coming up: Bridgwater.

It's the kind of place that gets recommended by friends, lands on apartment shortlists, and ranks as one of the best areas to live in the city.

If you've gone looking for a place lately, chances are it's already caught your eye.

Right now, Paragon Living has limited suites available at The Bridgwater, a newer apartment community at 250 Centre Street, right in the heart of it all!

Suites here don't open up often, and when they do, they go fast.

If Bridgwater has been on your list, now's the time to book before these are gone.

This weekend, visiting our provincial parks with your family won't cost you a thing.

From June 12 to 14, you can visit any of Manitoba's provincial parks without a vehicle permit, and fish anywhere in the province without a licence.

Just pack the car and go.

It's all part of Family Fishing Weekend, and the province has planned plenty to do beyond the fishing itself.

Weekends like this don't come around often. A full day outside, lines in the water, and the kids laughing on the dock.

So if you're making weekend plans, take a look below for the full list of provincial parks and everything happening at each.

Click here: To see the full list of parks and activities!

P.S. Know someone who'd love to go on a fishing trip? Send this their way!

We all remember what it's like to be just starting out. The nerves of a first job, not really knowing what comes next, wishing someone would step in and show you the ropes.

If you've got a young person in your life, you've probably watched them go through some of that.

But, now the province is stepping in to help.

Manitoba is putting $4.3 million into two programs that help young people get the education, training, and work they need to start their careers on the right foot.

Between the two, the help reaches a lot of young people.

Whether they're still in school, apprenticing, fresh out of graduation, between jobs, or facing a few extra hurdles, there's something here for them.

Starting out is hard, and a little help early on goes a long way. So if you've got kids, younger siblings, or someone that age in your life, pass these along and give them a head start.

Click here: To learn more about these youth support programs!

If the Corydon or Notre Dame bus is part of your daily routine, your ride is about to get a little easier.

Winnipeg Transit's summer schedule starts Sunday, June 21, and a lot of these changes came straight from what riders asked for.

And those are just the highlights.

Another 20 routes are being updated this summer, with six more getting reworked come September.

The idea is simple: more buses on the busiest routes, fewer on the quiet ones, and smoother service around the University of Manitoba so the Blue Line isn't so packed.

Transit reworks the schedule every season based on what riders tell them. So if there's something you'd change, click below to see all the updates and fill out the quick survey.

Click here: To see all the routes being changed and take the online survey!

If you live out in Prairie Pointe, you already know how fast it has grown. New streets, new homes, and plenty of young families settling in. The one thing missing has been a school of their own.

That is about to change.

Construction has officially started on a new kindergarten to Grade 8 school on Skyline Drive, built by Pembina Trails School Division.

It will be called École Iskonakwa School.

For parents in the area, it means less driving across the city and a place for their kids to learn and grow right in the neighbourhood.

Click here: To learn more about the school.

This section includes only the major events happening soon. For a complete list of all events, you'll have to wait for future editions!

Events marked with (Tickets / $) require advance purchase. Double-check dates before heading out!

Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! Let’s chat again on Friday!