The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Submitted by Kim Harbicht-Sczesny If you take a trip and visit some of the small towns in our beautiful province of Manitoba, you might be pleasantly surprised. Small towns love tourists and many of them have created innovative and exciting ways to attract visitors. Some smaller centres have tried and true events that keep out-of-towners coming back again and again. Dauphin's Countryfest has been drawing tourists to the parkland area since 1990 and boasts 12,000 to 14,000 visitors per day while the festival is being held. Spokesperson for the event, Carey Bass, says that Countryfest began as a way to raise money in the community and since its inception, the festival has cut cheques to various community organizations as a way to offset the necessary fundraising that all small towns have to do to keep their local activities and clubs alive. It is both a way to attract new visitors and improve the quality of community life all year 'round. Souris, Manitoba is a half-hour drive southwest of Brandon. Souris' distinct swinging bridge has always spurred tourism in this small town, but the recent demise of its famous structure in the 2011 flood means that this small town has had to re-think how it attracts tourists. Sven Kreusch, the town's economic development officer, says that there's been greater focus on the towns campground and the new outdoor pool. And although picturesque Victoria Park is still being re-developed after waters wiped out more than half of the green space, it is going to be ready for the town's newest tourist event; Walking, Running and Cycling for 60 Million. Souris plan to attract out-of-towners by hosting a fitness event where participants can walk, run or cycle all in the name of a good cause. Money raised will be divided between an international charity, 60 Million Girls, which funds school building projects for girls in third-world countries, and locally for a needy community group. St. Adolphe, Manitoba is no stranger to the status of commuter town. Just 15 minutes south of Winnipeg, St. Adolphe has been struggling to retain its individuality for decades. The old park situated just outside the ring dike was a popular place for families to swim and play. But in 1997, high waters destroyed the park. 'It was derelict and very little care had been given to it since the flooding...I wanted to create something fun at the park that would help give residents a reason to use it,' says Lesley Gaudry, founder of St. Adolphe's Mud Fest. 'We thought about developing a community festival that was not heavy on infrastructure but more about programming so that we could utilize the park site regardless if it sees some flooding or not in a particular year, as long as the water is gone when we want to hold the festival.' Mudfest is all about having fun as a family and has various activities including a kiddie carnival, a pancake breakfast, beer gardens and yup, you guessed it- a mud pit. Gaudry says that in addition to increased tourism, Mudfest has created a greater sense of pride within the community. The town is taking better care of the area and people have taken more ownership in the park now, and are happy to see it being used for different activities. There is even a wedding that is going to happen there this year because of the upkeep. Any way you look at it, thriving in a small town is a challenge. Small towns rely on fundraising dollars to keep local activities going and tourism dollars go a long way in augmenting the fundraising cause. In an increasingly urbanized world, small towns need to find new and innovative ways to attract tourists. Creative thinking and great ideas seem to be the recipe for small town success.
