As we ring in the new year, NACTV reflects on a few of the stories from 2024 that highlighted the community or made a difference for residents.

Rrain Prior – Local Journalism Initiative

We start in April with the controlled burn at Riverbend Park. It can’t be said this was a highlight of the year, but it was significant in that we were directly able to address resident concerns about the event through TV and internet coverage. Riverbend Park is adjacent to a busy highway so a lot of traffic saw the fire and were publicly concerned.

Next we jump to June with the Filipino Heritage Parade. Filipino Heritage Month has been celebrated in Neepawa for the past few years thanks to our still-growing Filipino population, and the parade is a great encapsulation of the full day of cultural events that was open to the entire community.

In July the Town of Neepawa announced a significant land purchase and we spoke to the mayor and CAO about what was behind the decision and what that would mean for the community. In the months since the purchase we have seen steady activity around planning for infrastructure in the area and beginning to parcel out the lots.

Finally, in September Neepawa held its first 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride celebration, one of a growing number of communities around the province that have been holding their own parades and festivals over the past couple of years. The event was another demonstration of the growth of the community and the diversity it represents, and the Pride committee says they are planning to grow the annual event in the future.