Buhler’s the word

New Transcona rec park will bear business leader’s name

The Herald
Winnipeg, Manitoba
August 10, 2005
By Bernice Pantanilla, Staff Reporter

Buhler is the name that will grace the new $5.8-million Transcona recreation park.

During a well-attended unveiling ceremony at Club Regent, longtime employer and philanthropist John Buhler, CEO of Buhler Industries, and wife Bonnie said this project was the perfect opportunity to give back to the Transcona community.

"I’ve worked in this community for 25 years and I think it was time to give something back," Buhler said. "I think vanity may have gotten the best of me."

Buhler donated $500,000 towards the $1.3-million private fundraising goal set by the East Winnipeg Sports Association, which spearheaded the park project.

His contribution, which was given earlier this year, also came at a crucial point in the fundraising process.

Association president Tom Thompson said that up until the Buhler donation, the task of raising such a large amount of money seemed like a mountain. "We never thought we’d have to try and gather (that much) money," he said. "When you see an incredible donation like that, it just puts more wind in your sails."

"It was a psychological hurdle," Transcona councilor Russ Wyatt told the crowd, adding he’s not a father, but after Buhler agreed, he felt like he "was having a baby."

Thompson said that with the Buhler donation, their project had more weight when it came to negotiating with the three levels of government. So far, in addition to the privately raised money, the federal and provincial governments have come on board with $1.5 million each - or $3 million - for a total of $4.3 million.

Area politicians and association members are still hopeful the City of Winnipeg will contribute the remaining $1.5 million.

However, Mayor Sam Katz, who also attended the ceremony and lauded "personal friend" Buhler for his contribution, said an outright cash donation is not in the cards.

Instead, the mayor said the City, which has already donated the land where the park will be located, will also grant any money from the selling of City land in that area towards the park.

"(That) was always the understanding we had," Katz told Canstar weeklies of talks with area politicians and the association.

"That certainly has my 100 per cent support."

Thompson said they hope to break ground by the end of August or early September.

The Buhler Recreation Park will be built over 57 hectares of land located on Murdock Road, near Dugald Road.

It will contain eight softball diamonds, two baseball diamonds, four soccer fields, a toboggan hill, skating pond, playground, walking trails, canteen, exhibition space and parking for 600 people.

More than 400,000 people from all over the city are expected to use the park when it’s completed by next summer.