Hours of Operation Maps Holiday Hours PRRA Contact Info PRRA Mission & Mandate PRRA Board
Portage Regional Recreation Authority Inc. (PRRA)
Phone: 204-857-7772 Fax: 204-239-1520 Email: info@prra.ca
Physical Address: 245 Royal Road South Portage la Prairie on the Island.
Mailing Address: PO Box 1059 Portage la Prairie, MB R1N 3C5
Stride Place RECEPTION Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:30am – 9:00pm
Saturday: 8:30am – 6:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 5:00pm
Stride Place FACILITY Hours:
Monday to Sunday: 5:35am – 11:30pm
Summer Hours: (June 1 – September 3rd 2024) 5:35am – 10:00pm
* Hours may be adjusted based on need.
* General hours do not include holiday dates & times (see dates below)
Stride Place Location Facility Maps:
Directions to Stride Place / Map – PDF
Google Map Stride Place – Link
Stride Place Parking Lot Map – Link
Map of the Stride Place – PDF
Stride Place Holiday Hours:
February 19, 2024 (Louis Riel Day) Facility & Fitness Centre: 11am – 10pm Reception: 11:30am – 5:30pm
March 29, 2024 (Good Friday) Admin Office CLOSED; Facility: Facility & Reception: Regular Hours
March 30, 2024 (Easter Saturday) Facility: Regular Hours & Reception: 12:00 – 6:00pm
March 31, 2024 (Easter Sunday) Facility & Reception: Regular Hours
April 1, 2024 (Easter Monday) Admin Office CLOSED; Facility & Reception: Regular Hours
May 20, 2024 (Victoria Day) CLOSED
July 1, 2024 (Canada Day) CLOSED
August 5, 2024 (August Long) CLOSED
September 2, 2024 (Labour Day) CLOSED
September 30,2024 (National Truth & Reconciliation Day) Facility: Regular Hours
October 14, 2024 (Thanksgiving) CLOSED
November 11, 2024 (Remembrance Day) Facility: 1 – 10pm
December 25 & 26, 2024: (Christmas) CLOSED
December 31, 2024: Facility: 5:35am – 6pm, Fitness Centre: 5:35am – 5:30pm & Reception: 9:30am – 3pm
January 1, 2025 (New Years Day) CLOSED
* Dates are subject to change without notice, please check back frequently to check times
PRRA Contact Information:
Angie Shindle – General Manager 204-857-7772 Ext: 2224 ashindle@prra.ca
Randy Miller – Facility Operations Manager 204-857-7772 Ext: 2226 rmiller@prra.ca
Carla Jackson – Payroll & Human Resources Administrator 204-857-7772 Ext: 2222 cjackson@prra.ca
Zapphira Neuschwander – Recreation Manager 204-857-7772 ex 2225 zneuschwander@prra.ca
Valerie Jones – Marketing Coordinator 204-857-7772 Ext: 2232 vjones@prra.ca
Shelley Smith – Facility Scheduling Coordinator 204-857-7772 Ext: 2237 ssmith@prra.ca
Janis Ducharme – Senior Customer Service Rep 204-857-7772 Ext: 2221 jducharme@prra.ca
PRRA Board of Directors:
Kam Blight – Chair
Sharilyn Knox – Vice Chair
Directors at Large:
(alphabetically)
Arnold Blight, James Bolton, Adam Carpenter, Colin Doyle, Faron Nicholls, and Roy Tufford
About Us:
The Portage Regional Recreation Authority Inc. (PRRA) is a nonprofit corporation responsible for the provision of recreation and leisure facilities and programs for the benefit of citizens in the Portage la Prairie Region. The corporation is funded in part by the City of Portage la Prairie and the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie and is governed by the PRRA Board of Directors.
The PRRA is responsible for recreation services and the operation of four recreation facilities in the City of Portage la Prairie, including; the Stride Place, Splash Island Waterpark, Rotary Republic Park and Beaver Stadium.
The PRRA organizes and plans Canada Day Celebrations for the City and RM of Portage la Prairie.
The Stride Place (formerly PCU Centre) completed in 2010 is a world class facility that offers two arenas, Manitoba’s largest indoor wave pool, a 4,000 square foot fitness centre, 210 metre Homestead Co-op Walking Track and three meeting room spaces. The Stride Place has played host to many large events including the 2015 & 2023 Junior “A” Centennial Cup National Championship, 2012 Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts, 2010 Manitoba Powersmart Winter Games, four movies and many provincial events. In 2015 the Stride Place hosted the first ever indoor rodeo in Portage la Prairie in over twenty years. For more information regarding the Stride Place and its facilities please visit our Stride Place page.
Splash Island is an outdoor waterpark that provides public swimming, swim lessons and private rentals to residents throughout the Central Plains region every summer. Splash Island has become a tourist destination with visitor’s everyday coming from all across Manitoba. Splash Island has many features that make it attractive to families; these include three slides, beach entry, bubble bench and a lazy river. The waterpark is also very attractive to families as the PRRA continues to offer some of the most affordable rates for public swimming of any outdoor waterpark in Manitoba. The PRRA also allows outside food to be brought into the facility so families can enjoy a picnic without having to leave the park. The waterpark is open from the start of June to the September long weekend every year attracting an average of 30,000 visitors over this span.
Rotary Republic Park is an athletic field complex located on the east end of Portage la Prairie. It is home to 9 baseball fields, 16 soccer fields and a football field. The park is one of the busy facilities in Portage throughout the spring with over 1,000 visitors a day during the week.
Beaver Stadium is a standalone baseball diamond located on 8th Street NW in Portage la Prairie. The facility is primarily used for baseball throughout the summer with children of all ages utilizing the athletic field.
Mission:
Encouraging community-wide participation, the Portage Regional Recreation Authority is a dynamic leader in recreation, sport and facility management.
Mandate:
As enshrined in the By-Laws, the PPRA, on behalf of the City of Portage la Prairie and the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie and for the benefit of the citizens of those Municipalities shall:
1. conduct the management and administration of:
• facilities
• services and
• funding
FOR:
• public sporting
• recreational, and
• leisure activities
AND:
2. provide advice and recommendations to the City and the RM on the provision of:
• public sporting,
• recreational, and leisure activities for its citizens
INCLUDING where appropriate:
• the acquisition, sale or zoning of land for public recreation purposes, and
• the construction and operation of new facilities and services.
History:
In 1974 planning began on a proposed Recreation Complex to be located at the northwest corner of the Industrial Exhibition grounds and south east of the Golf Course on the Island. The complex was proposed to include a 3,120 seat arena, swimming pool (25 m), 8 sheet curling rink with kitchen and lounge facilities and multipurpose area consisting of several small meeting rooms. The anticipated cost was $4.2 million. The Rural Municipality of Portage had committed $311,250 and the City of Portage la Prairie had promised a financial contribution of $1,763, 750. The remaining funding was to be provided by the Province of Manitoba, service clubs and the Portage Curling Club. The Fair Board planned to make land available at no cost to the complex (13.1 acres for building and parking). The initiative was defeated by public referendum on October 22, 1975.
The Portage Recreation Committee is a grass roots community committee that was formed in the spring of 2006 to further the growth and development of recreation opportunities in Portage la Prairie and surrounding districts. Their primary function was to raise $3.4 Million dollars from the industrial, business and public sectors in support of a new facility.
In the spring of 2006 the City of Portage la Prairie, the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie and the adhoc Portage Recreation Committee (PRC) retained the services of Stantec Architecture Limited (Stantec) of Winnipeg and Professional Environmental Recreational Consultants Ltd. (PERC) of Vancouver to prepare a Recreation Needs Study. The final report, presented in early 2007, represented a needs assessment process with input from the citizens in the Portage la Prairie area, specific community group organizations and the PRC.
The purpose of the study was to provide credible information as a basis for decisions for a future indoor recreation facility in the City of Portage la Prairie. The process included an analysis of recreation and leisure needs, the development of space requirements, program/conceptual design, site analysis and recommendations and estimates of capital.
The study was a public process involving a public meeting, user group/stakeholder interviews and a public mail survey. This study assisted in creating the vision for Portage la Prairie and helped to summarize the values and needs of the community. The study also reviewed existing recreation facilities including the Southport Aerospace Centre Inc. (SACI) indoor pool and the Portage Centennial Arena.
On January 24, 2007, the Recreation Needs Assessment final report was released during a public open house at the Glesby Centre. Information gathered from over 1,600 surveys as well as from meetings with various stakeholder groups clearly indicated that a new indoor aquatic facility was the most desired in all respects. An arena facility to replace the aging Centennial Arena was also evident as a significant priority. 90% of survey respondents wanted an increase in recreational facilities, listing indoor facilities specifically.
On March 29, 2007 the City and RM of Portage la Prairie officially announced their partnership and formation of the Portage la Prairie Multiplex Committee and jointly announced their financial commitments to a new multi-sport recreational facility. The Portage Multiplex Committee consists of appointed elected officials from the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie and City of Portage la Prairie, administration and representatives from the Portage Recreation Committee.
On April 19, 2007, the City of Portage la Prairie established the Department of Recreation and Leisure Services to dedicate time and resources towards the development of the new recreation multiplex.
On July 16, 2007 the City of Portage la Prairie passed resolutions that the 2007 Financial Plan be amended to include the withdrawal of $2,200,000.00 from the General Reserve towards the design work of the multiplex and up to $10,000,000.00 in debt for the construction of the multiplex; By-Law No. 07-8371 authorizing the City’s request to borrow up to $10,000,000.00 for the construction of the multiplex was given 1st Reading; and authorization was given to send By-Law No. 07-8371 to the Municipal Board for approval.
September 20, 2007, the location of the new multiplex was announced. After careful consideration, the City and RM Councils, in partnership with the Portage Industrial Exhibition Association (PIEA) identified that the Fairboard property (owned by PIEA) on the Island was the most suitable site for the recreation multiplex. As this project is a community-based amenity, it was important to select a site that is centrally located to accommodate both pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The Island site complements existing amenities such as Splash Island, Island Park, the Fairgrounds, the Tennis Courts, the Portage Golf Course, the existing Campgrounds, the new Rotary Park Playground and the new Crescent Lake Pathway. In addition, this site presented the opportunity to efficiently manage the operations of both Splash Island and the new Indoor Aquatic Centre. The location will enhance the enjoyment of visitors to the complex as it will be nestled in the beautiful setting adjacent to Crescent Lake.
The Capital Fundraising Campaign “A Place for You…” was officially launched November 15, 2007 and is an exciting opportunity for residents, businesses and community groups to share in making this new recreation multiplex a reality. Tax deductible public donations are also being accepted at City Hall or the RM office.
November 2007 – April 2008, a successful Naming Rights campaign led by the Portage Recreation Committee raises over $1 million for the project.
December 7, 2007 a public rally held at the Glesby Centre to raise awareness of and show support for the Multiplex project was co-hosted by MP Brian Pallister, and the City and RM of Portage la Prairie.
January 31, 2008, Manitoba Premier Gary Doer met with members of the Portage Multiplex committee at the Centennial Arena, where Premier Doer officially announced a $5-million provincial commitment to the project. The premier praised the community for the work that has been done towards this project, particularly the collaborations between the Rural Municipality and City of Portage la Prairie and the community with the private sector.
May 15, 2008 Class B Cost Estimate is received. Estimated project costs, the construction timeline and funding arrangements were shared during a public meeting at the Glesby Centre.
September 29, 2008 – Construction began.
February 27, 2010 – Construction was completed and the facility was officially opened.