Latest news with #RTSIS
CTV News
30-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Former Team Canada Indigenous wrestlers share skills with youth in Regina's North Central neighbourhood
WATCH: Mick Favel brings you another edition of Indigenous Circle, featuring a report by Brittany Poitras on Next Gen Wrestlers. The mâmawêyatitân centre in Regina recently hosted the Next Gen Wrestling Camp, hosted by Indigenous world-class athletes, Jackson Serna and Hunter Lee. The two athletes met while competing for Team Canada and wanted to share their world-class skills to inspire the next generation of youth wrestlers in Regina's North Central neighbourhood. Serna, who grew up in Los Angeles but is a member of Flying Dust First Nation, now works as the Youth Coordinator for the Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services (RTSIS). He said he returned to his mother's hometown of Regina to be be the kind of role model he wishes every young person had. 'There's not a lot of... I don't want to say role models, but there's not a lot of people that youth, especially here in North Central Regina can look up to,' Serna said. 'That's my whole reason for coming back to Regina in the first place.' Serna wanted to make wrestling training accessible to youth, because he knows how hard the journey to becoming a Team Canada member could be. 'I wrestled collegiately in the States, then heard about nationals in Saskatoon in 2019. I didn't have a passport, so I flew to Seattle, bussed to the Canadian border, walked across with my Treaty card,' he said. His determination paid off as he went on to represent the country that same year – along with two world championships and took home two silvers in the Pan American Games, where he eventually met Lee. The co-instructor Hunter Lee of the Next Gen Wrestlers Camp is from Muskoday First Nation and has his fair share of accolades and challenges to overcome in the sport. He began training in his back yard of small-town Flin Flon Manitoba, and eventually travelled the world to compete. 'We didn't have too much in terms of wrestling there,' Lee said. 'It was me and my brother. We would just train in our backyard... We were both our age group world medalists in wrestling. We kind of did a lot of that just training in our backyards with each other and making do with what we could,' he went on to say. Lee is a Junior World bronze medalist, Senior Pan American Games bronze medalist, multiple-time national champion, and is currently undefeated as a professional fighter - with an impressive 4 wins and 0 losses. Lee also has his sights set on joining the UFC in the near future. Both Serna and Lee say giving back through wrestling is a responsibility that they want to fulfil. 'You get good at something, and then you give back to the people coming up, because people helped you when you were younger,' Lee said. 'I'm always happy to come in and give back to kids who are kind of in a similar spot to me, just trying to train with what they have.' For Serna, the partnership with mâmawêyatitân centre, Top Gun Wrestling Club, and the City of Regina is his way of making an effort to keep youth engaged with the sport and community. 'What I hope wrestling brings to the community is it keeps kids in school and on the right path,' Serna said. 'Wrestling gave me a high school diploma, got me into post-secondary and I wouldn't have had that without it.' Serna explained that he wants to have more camps just like the one hosted over the weekend and even plans to create a regular wrestling club. 'Wrestling usually costs money when it's outside school, but this will be free for the community for Indigenous youth and any youth in North Central,' he excitingly added. One of the young wrestlers at the camp, Everly Bear, was experiencing the sport for the first time. 'I thought wrestling was all about hitting,' she said. 'But I've learned a lot of techniques. The instructors are really sweet, and they're not pushing you.' For now, Serna and Lee plan to continue their coaching careers with youth in Regina, with a project already underway for another camp this fall. Until then, the pair of Indigenous athletes are inspiring youth across Canada in their own ways.
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New permanent shelter to open in Regina on July 28
Regina's new emergency shelter was unveiled on Friday, showcasing 50 permanent shelter beds and a host of programming facilities for the city's homeless population. The new facility, called the New Beginnings Enhanced Emergency Shelter, sits on the old Eagles Club location in the Heritage neighbourhood. The shelter will be officially opened to the public on July 28, replacing the current temporary shelter at The Nest Health Centre on 13th Avenue. After transferring its current clients to the new location, the temporary shelter, also called New Beginnings, will shut down. "Having that sense of permanency allows for us to continue to expand and better embed ourselves in how we service our vulnerable community members," said Natasha Kennedy, whose organization, Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services, will run the shelter. According to the most recent point-in-time count in October 2024, there were 824 homeless people identified in Regina. That was an increase of 255 per cent from 2015. New Beginnings will offer all of the same services provided at The Nest, including addictions support and cultural programming. Its kitchen will serve clients three meals a day, and provide showers, bathrooms, laundry services and a common area. As it is replacing the 50 beds offered at The Nest, New Beginnings will not be adding any new shelter beds to the city's total capacity. The shelter won't turn people away if all of its beds are occupied, said Kennedy. Instead, it will try to make arrangements for them with other shelters and care facilities. "We understand that folks come with multiple barriers and challenges. And some of those challenges are people in active use" she said of the centre's low-barrier design, which provides privacy for each bed space but does not have floor-to-ceiling walls separating them. "This allows for us to work with them if they are looking for treatment or if they're looking for other support, if we're looking at addressing harm reduction." The opening comes after years of public consultations, negotiations among city officials, and pleas from community advocates about where to build the centre. The location on Halifax Street, which sits one block north of the Regina Police Services headquarters, was selected after a 9-to-2 vote at Regina city council in September 2024. The total cost of the shelter is $6.8 million. The federal government provided $3 million through the Federal Transit and Housing Fund and an additional $1.1 million through its Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampment Initiative. The provincial government guaranteed another $3 million as a forgivable loan. For its part, the City of Regina will cover the centre's $1 million annual operating costs. It will also own the building. "It's the signal that this is something we take seriously," said Regina mayor Chad Bachynski. "To have a permanent space in Regina, moving away from a temporary space, I think speaks volumes to the commitment that Regina is making in terms of helping folks address challenges that they're facing with respect to homelessness."
CTV News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Celebrations underway in Regina ahead of Indigenous Peoples Day
Celebrations are taking place in the Queen City ahead of Indigenous Peoples Day. (Mick Favel / CTV News) While Indigenous Peoples Day is not until Saturday, there are already celebrations taking place in the Queen City. On Wednesday, hundreds of visitors took part in the annual Regina Urban Treaty Day celebration at the Gathering Place. The property was converted to fairground layout, filled with vendors, food and live music. Regina Urban Treaty Days The Gathering Place hosted the annual Regina Urban Treaty Days on Wednesday. (Mick Favel / CTV News) Natasha Kennedy is the executive director of Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services Inc (RT/SIS). She said the event is a way to learn about the treaty signings and their importance. 'We like to have our elders sit alongside so that we can create that open space for dialogue,' she said. 'We have multiple demonstrations that take place, being able to share our culture. As well as creating that space we like to share through open dialogue,' she added. Regina Urban Treaty Days The Gathering Place hosted the annual Regina Urban Treaty Days on Wednesday. (Mick Favel / CTV News) Wednesday's celebration was just one of the many Indigenous focused events happening in Regina this week, as National Indigenous Peoples Day approaches. The Regina International Airport was the location for the third annual Indigenous Artisan Market. Indigenous artists, singers and dancers filled the arrival terminal for a portion of the day. Teresa Innis is the executive director of the Newo-Yotina Friendship Centre. She said now is the time to celebrate Indigenous culture. 'June being Indigenous Peoples History Month, it is very important to bring awareness to issues that are not talked about the rest of the year,' she said. The market was a collaboration between the Newo-Yotina Friendship Centre, Regina International Airport, Canadian Border Services Agency, and the Government of Saskatchewan. Indigenous Artisan Market The third annual Indigenous Artisan Market took place at Regina's airport on Wednesday. (Mick Favel / CTV News) A number of events are planned for the evening, including fireworks near the Gathering Place property. The numbered treaties in Canada were signed between 1871-1921. Regina resides in Treaty 4 territory, which was signed Sept. 15, 1874. An annuity payment was negotiated in a number of treaties. Those who are treaty status are able to pick up their annual payment at the Urban Treaty Days event, instead of going to their home First Nation to receive it. Kennedy hopes attendees walk away knowing the treaties are as relevant today as when they were first signed. 'Today's event allows for us to continue that important conversation of the roles and responsibilities of our treaties,' she said. 'It's a good way to recognize and identify our responsibility to treaties,' she concluded.
