She’s a woman with a vision and a passion for making the lives of children in the North End better.
For the last nine years Gerrie Prymak has transformed that passion into developing the North End Stay and Play, a group for Winnipeg families and kids to play.
Right now the group meets in a basement of a North End building once per week, but the goal to create a permanent home for the group is coming closer to reality.
“It’s a 1.5 million dollar building, it will be beautiful it will have sunlight and a nature program that was really important to the families,” Prymak said.
The lot at 681 – 683 Selkirk Avenue is sitting vacant but Prymak’s hard work has secured 90 per cent of the funding for the building, so shovels are expected to hit the ground in June or July.
“Our families asked why can’t we have our own playhouse and you know what that’s just such a big dream, could we do this? Could our group organize ourselves to make this dream come true and we did.”
And they did with the guiding force of Prymak, which is why on Thursday she was awarded the Global News Women in Leadership Award.
“I was just so thrilled and honoured to be receiving this award,” she said. “It’s not just about me, but about a team of people I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”
The new 3,600 square foot building will not only house more programming for kids and families, but will be used as a music facility as well.