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Message Photo Courtesy of Jimmy EmersonMarch 2025 The Manitoba Pool Grain Elevator in Sinclair, Manitoba, stood as a landmark in thesmall farming community for nearly a century. Built in 1928 by Manitoba PoolElevators on behalf of a local association, it played a vital role in the region’sagricultural economy, handling thousands of bushels of grain for local farmers.
How Do You Read the RM of Pipestone Newsletter?Do you read the RM of Pipestone Newsletter online or receive it by mail? Your feedback helps us improve how we connect with residents!Let us know email - newsletter@rmofpipestone.comPayment OptionsThe RM accepts cash, cheque, debit, e-transfers, and OptionPay. Sign up for monthly automatic withdrawals fortax and utility accounts. Contact Tina - tina@rmofpipestone.comE-Transfer EmailsUtility Billing: utilities@rmofpipestone.comProperty Taxes & Municipal Bills:accounts@rmofpipestone.comReston Golf Club: restongolfclub@gmail.comReston Rec Plex: restonrecplex@gmail.comRecreation & Programming: tara@rmofpipestone.comOffice Hours - Monday - Friday 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Closed 12:00p.m. - 1:00p.m.
Southwest Business and Entrepreneur Expo Entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts gatheredat the Southwest Business and Entrepreneur ExpoFebruary 5th, 2025 in Oak Lake. A dynamic eventdesigned to support and connect small businessowners in the region. The expo provided aninvaluable platform for networking, education,and business growth opportunities. The eventfeatured a tradeshow and an engaging paneldiscussion where local entrepreneurs shared theirexperiences within the food industry, discussingchallenges and opportunities in their field.Keynote speaker Hailey Jefferies, co-founder of Prairie Fava, delivered an inspiring keynote, sharing her Pictured: Keynote Speaker Hailey Jefferies Pictured: L Dora Waldner receiving heraward from Expo Chair Rachelle Stannage journey of building a successful agricultural-based business and emphasizing the importance of innovation and perseverance inentrepreneurship. It was also an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to pitch their businessideas before a panel of judges, competing for prizes designed to help them expand and growtheir ventures. The RM of Pipestone Pitch Prize was awarded to Pipestone Pet Treats owned byLarry and Dora Waldner of Cromer. The Expo alsoprovided breakout learning sessions, allowingparticipants to tailor their experience and gain insightson key business topics such as Intro to Chat GPT,Mental Health for Business Owners and FinancialTools for Small Business. The Southwest Business andEntrepreneur Expo was a resounding success, offeringeducation, resources, and opportunities for businessesto thrive in the local economy. Congratulation to allthe committee members on organizing and hosting avery successful event. If you’re interested in learning more about theSouthwest Business and Entrepreneur Expo orinterested in pitching your business venture follow theSouthwest Business and Entrepreneur Expo onFacebook, visit their website at swbusinessexpo.comor email: swbusinessexpo@gmail.com.
The Reston Dance Club is in full swing, bringing energy and creativity to the community with 48talented dancers ranging from ages 3 to 16. Dancers are divided into six groups, with youngerstudents in Groups 1 and 2 enjoying a ballet/tap combo class, while Groups 3 and 4 expand theirskills with tap, hip-hop, ballet, and jazz. Advanced dancers in Groups 5 and 6 take on an evenbroader repertoire, including lyrical and conditioning. Additionally, the club offers a boys' hip-hopclass for ages 5-8, with sessions available in both the fall and winter. Leading the dancers is JasmineReston Dance Club: A Season of Growth Expression and PerformanceHamel, a dedicated instructor who has beenteaching at the Reston Dance Club since graduatinghigh school in 2018. Her passion for dance andexperience—dating back to her time assisting classesas a student at Reston School—shine through inevery session. The club’s season runs fromSeptember to March, with registration opening inAugust, and for those wanting to give dance a try, aweekend dance camp is held each summer. Exciting performances are on the horizon, with all groups, including boys' hip-hop, set to showcasetheir talents at the Reston Recital on March 23, 2025. Additionally, Groups 1-6 will participate inthe Virden Festival, Groups 3-6 will take the stage at the Moosomin Festival and Groups 5 and 6will travel to Weyburn. The Dance Board always welcomes new members, ensuring the clubcontinues to grow and thrive for years to come!
Photo Submitted: RAVBC member Sherrill Berry proudlydisplays two of her family veteran banners.Reston and Area Veteran Banner Committee organized in February 2023 with a goal of threeyears working towards honouring those who served with connections to the RM of Pipestone.As of October 2024, ninety eight veteran banners have been erected. 2024 brought about achange in where these banners will be displayed starting with the veterans of Pipestoneconnections that were hung in the new Pipestone Memorial Park on Main Street last fall. Asthe committee plans to put this project on hold for the near future, 2025 may be your finalopportunity to honour your veteran. All information on how to proceed and the sponsor formcan be found on the Reston and Area Veteran Memorial Banner web page. More informationcan also be found on the “Reston and Area Veteran Memorial Banner” Facebook page. Costto sponsor a veteran is $250.00 with a photo and short biography of the veteran requested. Reston and Area Veteran BannerAnyone can sponsor and if you would like toparticipate but don’t have a veteran in your familyyou can contact the committee for assistance. If thecost to sponsor your veteran is not possible rightnow, the banner project received a generousdonation from the Virden Oilmen’s GolfTournament Committee last year to make sureveterans with no sponsor could hang as well. Deadline to sponsor is May 1st, 2025 with paymentand all information submitted. Banners sponsoredwill hang in the fall. A tax receipt for $250 will beissued for anyone sponsoring a veteran. For more information on how to participate email:veteranbannerproject@gmail.com or phone: 867-446-9922 or 204-851-1421February Trivia Answers1.Manitoba officially joined Canada as a province in 1870. 2.The romantic Manitoba city known as the “Gatewayto the West” is Brandon. 3.The Manitoba provincial park home to Clear Lake, popular for romantic getaways, isRiding Mountain National Park. 4.The Manitoba animal that mates for life and is often seen in romantic snowylandscapes is the gray wolf (though some birds, like swans, also mate for life). 5.The small Manitoba town with aheart-shaped island in its provincial park is Snow Lake (in Wekusko Falls Provincial Park). 6. The iconic Manitobawinter event that often runs around Valentine’s Day is Festival du Voyageur.
Southwest Saddles and Spurs 4-H Club NewsThe Southwest Saddles and Spurs 4-H clubreorganized in the fall and held a few groupriding sessions at the Reston fairgrounds inSeptember and October. Over the winter wehave been busy working on our books andparticipating in club communications whichwere held in Pipestone on January 26th 2024.We have four of our members moving on tozones Feb 23rd in Hartney. We plan to have apresentation with McBurney VeterinaryServices in March and then get back to ridingafter spring break. Watch for us at thefairgrounds. We will be working on all theskills we need to compete at the 4-H Rally in Photo Submitted: Southwest Saddle and Spurs 4-H Club RM of Pipestone Holds Public Hearing On January 30th, the RM of Pipestone hosted a public hearing at the Reston Memorial Theatre todiscuss the proposed special service levy By-Laws. The event drew a strong turnout, with engagedcitizens gathering to voice their thoughts and concerns. Council Members expressed theirappreciation for the Municipality's participation emphasizing the importance of public input inshaping Municipal decisions. They hope to seesimilar engagement at the upcoming 2025Ratepayer Meeting, scheduled for later thisspring. The RM of Pipestone Council includesRoss Tycoles, Garnet Williamson, GaryNicholson, Randy Henuset, Trent Forsyth, Lane Wanless, and Reeve Archie McPherson.The hearing provided an opportunity forresidents to ask questions, share perspectivesand gain a clearer understanding of theproposed levies. The RM of Pipestone Pictured: RM of Pipestone Residents gather at the Reston Memorial Theatre continues to encourage residents involved in municipal affairs,ensuring that local policies reflect the needs of the Municipality. Boissevain June 5th. We will then show off our horse-manship skills for family, friends and community members later in June for our Achievement Day.Watch for the date and join us at the Pipestone Albert Fairgrounds!
The intergenerational programs are designed tobring together people of different ages, as a wayto bridge the generation gap and reduce ageism.Participating in such programs benefitsparticipants of all ages. Research shows that children and adolescentsdevelop more positive attitudes toward olderadults; for older participants, research showsincreased physical and social activity andpositive associations with physical health,mental health and quality of life. The first group activity happened February 12at the Reston School Library due to the extremecold, the students weren’t able to visit the DropIn. Seniors and students broke into groups toplay card games such as Swoop, Cribbage andGarbage or crokinole or dominoes. The seniorsexplained the games and the students learnedsome new games but also shared some theyplayed in card games. The students shared Valentine’s cards they hadmade with the seniors. Many positive commentswere heard and asking for the next meeting get-together date. Grant money was used to providedrinks and snacks for the participants.Seniors Helping Hands - Reston School: Intergenerational Connections Seniors Helping Hands and the grade seven glass from Reston School are working on a specialprogram this year, Intergenerational Connections. This program came about following asuccessful application for a grant that Seniors Helping Hands applied for through the ManitobaAssociation of Seniors Centers (MASC). Photo Submitted: Grade 7 Students learning to play the card game“Cribbage.” Photo Submitted: Grade 7 Students learning to play thecard game “Garbage”. If you wish to participate nextmonth give Senior Helping Hands acall at 204-877-3920 or email us atshhreston@gmail.com.
Hidden Treasures Community Thrift Store After seven years, Reston Anglican Churchretired from operating Hidden Treasures onDec. 31, 2023. Recognizing its importance, awell-attended community meeting led to theformation of a new 10-member board: KodiWhitehurst (chair), Eleanor Tamilowicz(secretary), Parker Janz (treasurer), CandyWanless, Debbie Wiebe, Terri Vandenberghe,Carmelle Williams, Judy Lochhead, DyaneWilliamson, and Marilee Smeltz. “Our visionfor Hidden Treasures Community ThriftStore is one where each sale, interaction, anddonated item contributes to a brighter, moresustainable future for our community”.The RM of Pipestone covered the first threemonths' rent, PAREC Pancake Breakfastdonated $500.00, and the Anglican ladiescontributed their inventory and fixtures. TheReston and Area Foundation supplied a grant which enabled us to purchase a few more essentials. The “new” Hidden Treasures CommunityThrift Store opened on February 1, 2024 with a grand opening March 2 2024. We are incrediblygrateful for our enthusiastic volunteers who keep our store running by sorting, cleaning, pricing,assisting customers, and handling administrative tasks. Because of our community’s generosity, ourfirst year has been financially successful, allowing us to support local trust funds, the ChristmasCheer program, and various organizations in Brandon. Future profits will be reinvested into thecommunity, likely through a grant process. We also donate unsellable items to those in need orrecycle them whenever possible to minimize waste.None of this would be possible without your support! We are overwhelmed by the quality andquantity of donations and deeply appreciate every shopper—whether regular, occasional, or visitingfrom out of town. If you would be interested in joining our team of volunteers, just drop in to thestore and leave your name and phone number. Thank you. HIDDEN TREASURES COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE
RM of Pipestone Home Purchase Grants aretemporarily paused until further notice.Submit your application by March 31, 2025to be considered. Applications after this datewill be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
RM of Pipestone Newsletter Now Monthly!Deadline to submit March 20th 2025newsletter@rmofpipestone.com
Reston District Library Programs Lego Club: Tuesdays 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Moms and Tots: Thursdays, 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Scrabble Club: Thursdays 1:30–3:30 p.m. Book Club: Monthly meetings.
Ensure You Have A Permit Before Building in the RM of PipestoneResidents and businesses in the RM of Pipestone must obtain permits before starting anyconstruction or development projects. The Dennis County Planning District DevelopmentPlan ensures growth aligns with zoning, safety, and sustainability goals. Before beginning newconstruction, renovations, or land use changes, check permit requirements to stay compliant.For details, contact DCPD Officer David Houston at 204-851-0380 or visitwww.rmofpipestone.comBuilding a Stronger Community: RM of Pipestone CDCThe R.M. of Pipestone Community Development Corporation (CDC) is dedicated to fosteringa stronger, healthier community by promoting residential and commercial development.Through a variety of initiatives, the CDC aims to support growth, attract investment, andenhance the quality of life for residents. The seven-member Board of Directors, appointedannually by the Council, includes representatives from each community within the RM ofPipestone, along with at-large members and a councillor. The Board of Directors include ReeveArchie McPherson, Councillor Ross Tycoles, Donna Swanston, David Moore, KimMacKenzie, Bob Berry, and Lindsay Cooper. The CDC Board meets monthly in Reston, wherethey discuss community initiatives, development opportunities, and strategies to enhance themunicipality’s growth.Westman Region artists are invited to showcase their talent inthe 46th Annual Westman Juried Art Show, which will be heldthis year at the RES Center in Reston! This event providesamateur and emerging artists with a valuable opportunity forprofessional critique—as every submitted piece will receivefeedback—and a chance to present their work to the public. Theexhibition will be available for public viewing exclusively duringthe reception, making this a must-attend event for art lovers andcommunity supporters alike. All submitted works, unlessdisqualified by the jurors, will be on display at the publicreception. Don’t miss this chance to support local artists andcelebrate creativity in the Westman Region!Western Juried Art Show & Travelling Gallery
Countdown to Pipestone Homecoming 2025 BeginsOnly five months until Pipestone Homecoming2025, July 11-13 and can you think of a better wayto top off the weekend than leaving with $15,000 inyour pocket? Get your tickets on the PipestoneHomecoming 50/50 Raffle. The draw will be heldat 11 pm on Saturday, July 12th at theHomecoming Social, you don’t have to be presentto win. Don’t miss out tickets are $10 each only3000 sold. The weekend is starting to shape upnicely and some activities require prepaid tickets.Friday night supper and Saturday night supper andsocial tickets will go on sale April 1st. There will beno reserves or holds, tickets on a first come basiswith payment at time of pickup. The committee islooking for any items you may like to share for a Pipestone memorabilia display at the Drop In. We would love to see old photos of days gone by,perhaps a Pipestone Panthers jersey to hang, or an old curling sweater from the bonspiel days. At the 2000 reunion there was lineups to get in to see all the great items people shared, onceagain we know this will be a highlight of the weekend. Get your float ready for the parade forSunday, July 13 at noon. Let’s make this the best little town parade in SW Manitoba! There arequite a few family reunions being planned, what a great way to show off your family to thehometown crowd. Don’t forget July 11-13th is also the annual Pipestone Fun Days hosted bythe Pipestone Rec Club so get the group together and get your team entered in the Slow PitchTournament. The Rec Club will also have campsites available on a first come basis for theweekend to all visitors. For inquiries or to enter your ball team call Aaron Edwards 204-522-0084. For More information or 50/50 ticket sales contact any committee members.Wiley Gilliard, Chris & Kim Davis, Nancy &Glenn Elliott, Brian & Sharon Zarn, Barry &Marnie Hodgins, Jean Byer, Kim MacKenzie,Tabetha Edwards, Kim Flannery, GregCampion, Mel & Penny Edwards, ErickkaPatmore and Malina Van Buuren. Pipestone Homecoming Committee
Sinclair’s Grain Elevators: A Legacy of AgricultureThe first elevators in Sinclair were built by the WesternElevator and Ogilvie Company at the turn of thecentury. In 1918, Western was rebuilt by United GrainGrowers (UGG), and the community formed Local No.222 to manage its operations. Farmers used the facilitynot only for grain but also for buying coal, flour, andfarming supplies.Over the decades, the elevator expanded to meet growingdemand. A manager’s house was built in 1963, and in1967, a 110,000-bushel annex was added. A majorrenovation in 1976 introduced modern equipment,including a large-scale weighing system and improvedgrain-handling capabilities. For nearly a century, the grain elevators in Sinclair, Manitoba, played a key role in the localfarming community. Built in the early 1900s, these structures helped farmers store and transporttheir grain, shaping the region’s agricultural industry.In 1928, the Sinclair Co-operative Elevator Association was formed, leading to the constructionof a new Manitoba Pool grain elevator with a 50,000-bushel capacity. R.J. Sabistan became thefirst agent, and the total cost of the elevator and an agent’s house was $24,887.39. By 1929, ithad already handled 165,000 bushels of grain.Though the Sinclair grain elevator is gone, it remains a symbol of the community’s richfarming history, remembered by the community it served for generations.The Sinclair Grain Elevator is recognized as part of the"Grain Elevator Trail," which highlights significant grainelevators in the region. As smaller grain elevatorsdeclined, Sinclair’s facility closed in 2002 and was soldinto private ownership. By 2023, it had been unused forover a decade. A windstorm in July 2023 damaged thestructure, and another severe storm in June 2024 causedfurther destruction. With the building beyond repair, itwas demolished in December 2024.Photo Courtesy of Trails Along the PipestonePhoto Courtesy of Steve BoykoInformation Source: Trails Along the Pipestone and Google