5 of the Best Community Centres in Winnipeg
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5 of the Best Community Centres in Winnipeg

The earliest forms of community centres started in the 1900s when schools in the United States were used as gathering halls to serve communities after hours.

Since then, many countries followed suit and continue to promote social welfare and expression, as well as wellness and belongingness.

Just for you, we explored different community centres in Winnipeg and assessed the best ones in this article.

Read on to find out where to avail of various community activities!

Are there any fees for using community centres in Winnipeg?

Some community centre facilities are free-for-use to the public while others require a rental fee. For example, renting a social hall or event space may cost $100 to $200 per hour on average.

Certain classes and activities held in community centres may also entail registration fees. 

These payments sustain these programmes for future enrollees and help upgrade learning materials or upgrade parts of the community center.

Take a look at this table below for the average prices of some of the most common activities offered at community centres:

ProcedureCost
Urological Diagnostic Procedure

$250-$300

Ultrasound-guided Injections

$150-$450

Kidney Stone Removal

$4,500-$12,500

What are the best community centres in Winnipeg?

For this review, we’ve chosen the following community centres to be Winnipeg’s best based on the following criteria:

Array of activities/facilities offered – Does the centre provide different kinds of activities and facilities suitable for different community members’ interests and needs?
Centre quality – Is the centre cleaned and maintained regularly? Are the amenities always in tip-top shape for all community members to use properly and enjoy?
Rental/registration prices – Are the rates for the classes and events worth paying for or not?
Community impact – Does the community centre promote leisure, wellness, sustainability, and education? Do the activities help underprivileged individuals reach their goals and basic human rights?

1. South Winnipeg Community Centre

South Winnipeg Community Centre's Homepage
WEBSITEhttps://www.swcc1.ca/
ADDRESS

Richmond Clubhouse:

666 Silverstone Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3T 2V9, Canada

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Waverley Clubhouse:

1885 Chancellor Dr., Winnipeg, MB R3T 4C4, Canada

CONTACT DETAILSPhone:

Richmond Clubhouse: +1 (204) 269-1908

Waverley Clubhouse: +1 (204) 269-7000

Facebook:South Winnipeg Community Centre

EMAIL: [email protected]

OPERATING HOURS

Richmond Clubhouse:

Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

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Waverley Clubhouse:

Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday and Sunday: Closed

CRITERIARATING
ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES/FACILITIES OFFERED★★★★★ 5/5
CENTRE QUALITY★★★☆☆ 3.5/5
> Clean and orderly★★★★★ 5/5
> Facilities are well-maintained★★☆☆☆ 2/5
RENTAL/REGISTRATION PRICES★★★★☆ 4/5
COMMUNITY IMPACT★★★★☆ 4.5/5
> Promotes learning, wellness, and sustainability★★★★★ 5/5
> Helped people access their rights and goals★★★★☆ 4/5

The South Winnipeg Community Centre (SWCC) offers quite an array of group activities that promote fitness, performing arts, sportsmanship, and stronger family ties.

While the majority of its activities are sports, fitness classes, and dance lessons, we still think that the centre’s list of services helps promote the well-being and unity of many groups.

In terms of rates, many of the activities cost $85 per person, which we think is worth paying for given that this community centre is spacious and clean.

One highlight of this place is that its canteen is well-stocked with popular snacks and beverages. 

Another highlight is that it offers birthday bundles for those who want to rent its halls for special celebrations.

We asked about the packages and found that they cost $1,695 to $2,095. This price range may seem quite hefty, given that rental rates cost $100 up to $200 an hour on average.

But we’re pleased to learn that SWCC’s birthday bundles come with many inclusions.

These include bartenders, access to the kitchen and refrigeration areas, table and chair setups for guests, a supply of drinks from different brands, and inflatable playgrounds.

It’s just a tad unfortunate that the centre’s hockey and skating rinks are not open to the public all the time. 

We found that the indoor rink is only open on Saturday mornings from 10:30 AM to 11:30 PM, while the outdoor rink is only open during winter.

We’re also bummed to learn that some of the facilities aren’t working properly. Clients noted that the heaters were only working on one side of the gymnasium, making the rest of the area unbearably cold.

Pros

  • Offers different kinds of community activities
  • Feedback on canteen having great snacks and drinks
  • Has birthday party packages 
  • Two centres within Winnipeg

Cons

  • Hockey and skating rinks are only open on selected days
  • Reports on some facilities not working properly

Customer Reviews

Peaceful, clean, and enriching.

A peaceful and clean place filled with happy children whose joyful shouts fills the mind of the adults parents. My country invests a lot the education of next generation. This place is where children learn and appreciate the enriching multicultural humanity. It is a social school filled with fun 🇨🇳🇨🇦. – Joseph Reza Fanai

Great facilities and food.

Nice lobby area. Good canteen with great fries. Nice and warm in the viewing are so long as they turn on the heaters. – Scott Dalrymple

2. Garden City Community Centre

Garden City Community Centre's Homepage
WEBSITEhttps://www.gardencitycc.com/
ADDRESS725 Kingsbury Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2V 3H9, Canada
CONTACT DETAILSPhone: +1 (204) 940–6111

EMAIL: [email protected]

OPERATING HOURS

Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM

Saturday to Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM

CRITERIARATING
ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES/FACILITIES OFFERED★★★★★ 5/5
CENTRE QUALITY★★★★★ 5/5
> Clean and orderly★★★★★ 5/5
> Facilities are well-maintained★★★★★ 5/5
RENTAL/REGISTRATION PRICES★★☆☆☆ 2/5
COMMUNITY IMPACT★★★★★ 5/5
> Promotes learning, wellness, and sustainability★★★★★ 5/5
> Helped people access their rights and goals★★★★★ 5/5

If you’re after enjoying various types of sports for different seasons, then the Garden City Community Centre is the right place for you.

We visited the community centre and found that the majority of its activities are sports. From what we’ve heard, many parents are happy with how their kids enjoyed their summers through soccer, basketball, softball, and hockey.

The community centre also has spacious arenas suitable for its array of activities. 

We’re pleased with the availability of various courts and open spaces for the different sports and fitness activities.

One highlight of this place is that it offers its event halls, gymnasiums, canteen, and multi-purpose rooms for rent.

Even the soccerplex is available for rent for those who want to book the pitch for private matches or sports-themed parties.

Note that renting these facilities come with a $25 cleaning fee, which we think is reasonable since it ensures that the facilities are cleaned and maintained regularly.

Another strong point of this community centre is that it has activities for senior citizens. 

We checked the community hall’s schedule and found that the events senior citizens can enjoy include Zumba, yoga, Bocce ball, pickleball, line dancing, and stretching exercises.

On the downside, registration prices for this community centre’s events and activities are pricier compared to what other places in Winnipeg offer at a minimum.

We checked and registrants will need to pay around $137 up to $300 – plus fees –  to sign up for the sports and fitness activities.

Another downside is that in case you can’t attend the events, no refunds will be given unless you provide medical or COVID-19 restriction documents.

Pros

  • Has expansive arenas for various sports
  • Offers different rooms and facilities for rent
  • Offers activities for seniors

Cons

  • No refunds without the support of medical/COVID-19 restriction documents
  • Pricey registration fees

Customer Reviews

Great for small and large gatherings.

Well-maintained facility. Great for small and large gatherings with plenty of washrooms and parking. The AC works well on a hot summer day. – Jeff Bernasor

Well-maintained sports community center.

Very large community centre. Friendly group playing pickleball on Tue and Thu  from 1 to 3:30 . Facility supports hockey and indoor soccer. Love the large parking lot as well. – Wray Johnson

3. East Elmwood Community Centre

East Elmwood Community Centre's Homepage
WEBSITEhttps://eastelmwoodcc.ca/
ADDRESS490 Keenleyside St., Winnipeg, MB R2K 4A1, Canada
CONTACT DETAILSPhone: +1 204-667-2777

EMAIL: [email protected]

OPERATING HOURS

Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday to Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

CRITERIARATING
ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES/FACILITIES OFFERED★★☆☆☆ 2/5
CENTRE QUALITY★★★★★ 5/5
> Clean and orderly★★★★★ 5/5
> Facilities are well-maintained★★★★★ 5/5
RENTAL/REGISTRATION PRICES★★★★☆ 4/5
COMMUNITY IMPACT★★★★☆ 4/5
> Promotes learning, wellness, and sustainability★★★★☆ 4/5
> Helped people access their rights and goals★★★★☆ 4/5

The East Elmwood Community Centre is another gathering hall that offers its facilities for rent. To date, the gymnasium, kitchen, and multi-purpose rooms are available for leasing.

A perk to this community centre is that it has special bundles for weddings and social gatherings. We also like that renters get the option to have alcoholic drinks served at their wedding receptions.

In terms of activities, we appreciate East Elmwood for offering programmes for registration and drop-ins. 

Note, however, that the drop-in activities are limited to parents with children aged zero to five and will only run from September 2022 up to June 2023.

On the bright side, the drop-in play activities are free of charge and are open to all parents who want to immerse themselves in the community and help their kids meet other children.

On the downside, it’s just a tad unfortunate that East Elmwood’s programmes are limited compared to the other community centres in Winnipeg. 

As of writing, it currently only offers dodgeball, pickleball, and tae kwon do.

Most of these activities are also catered toward kids and teens, so this community centre might not be palatable to adults and the elderly.

Another thing we found iffy is that people can only rent out the facilities for weddings and social gatherings at night, which is quite limiting for those searching for spacious venues to host their daytime celebrations.

Pros

  • Facilities are available for rent
  • Alcoholic drinks can be served at social halls
  • Drop-in and free events for kids available

Cons

  • Limited array of activities
  • Rental packages are only available at night

Customer Reviews

Facilities are clean and well-maintained.

Nice clean maintained facility! I came here for a friend’s baby shower. It’s my first time inside the community centre, and I was delighted by the updated interior as I was with the exterior. This is a place that I would consider throwing some future events, especially in the summer when the wading pool in the park is open. My 14 month old daughter loved splashing in it!  Plenty of windows to invite natural light in, as well as plenty of parking in the parking lot and around the perimeter of the park. Easy to get to. – Rosemarie Sanchez McRae

Spacious and contemporary.

Spacious. New. contemporary design. Very clean. Washroom and building accessible  for people with mobility issues. Room for family parties. Very close to Nairn avenue,  Kildonan Place mall and Lagimodiere Boulevard route 59. – Reinaldo Contreras

4. Red River Community Centre

Red River Community Centre's Homepage
WEBSITEhttps://redriver.cc/
ADDRESS293 Murray Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2V 4H8, Canada
CONTACT DETAILSPhone: +1 (204) 339-5345

EMAIL: [email protected]

OPERATING HOURS

Monday to Friday: 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Saturday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

CRITERIARATING
ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES/FACILITIES OFFERED★★☆☆☆ 2/5
CENTRE QUALITY★★★★★ 5/5
> Clean and orderly★★★★★ 5/5
> Facilities are well-maintained★★★★★ 5/5
RENTAL/REGISTRATION PRICES★★★★☆ 4/5
COMMUNITY IMPACT★★★★☆ 4/5
> Promotes learning, wellness, and sustainability★★★★★ 5/5
> Helped people access their rights and goals★★★☆☆ 3/5

The Red River Community Centre is favoured for its skate park, which we’ve heard to be clean and always kept in tip-top shape.

While some mentioned that the skate park is a little smaller than other public skating spaces in Winnipeg, people highlighted that the place is safe for younger kids to practice and make friends.

Another highlight of Red River’s skate park is that it’s close to a playground, which we think is great for taking younger kids to play outdoors during the summer.

With the winter months coming, a strong point of this community centre is that its outdoor ice skating rinks are open and available for rent.

Do note, however, that rental rates for the outdoor rinks aren’t displayed on Red River’s website. You’ll need to call the community hall’s office to ask for the rinks’ rental prices and how long they can be leased for.

On the bright side, the community hall’s multi-purpose rooms can be rented for $200 per four hours. We think that such a rate is reasonable since average rental rates cost $100 to $200 an hour.

We also like that the multi-purpose rooms come with shower rooms for guests the freshen up and kitchens for catering staff to stay at.

That said, Red River’s facilities are only open by appointment. You’ll need to schedule your visit before you get to use the ‘public’ facilities.

Another downside is that most of the activities offered are limited to kids aged six to 17 years old, which many find disappointing as they can no longer use the basketball courts like they used to.

Pros

  • Feedback on skate park being clean and well-maintained
  • Affordable multi-purpose room rental rates
  • Outdoor ice rinks are available for rent

Cons

  • Facilities are open by appointment only
  • Most activities are for kids and younger teens

Customer Reviews

Great skate park and playground facilities.

Nice skate park and good playground with wide open fields. Wish there were bathrooms for the kids. People are nice and the users are considerate. – Peter

The place had great staff and activities.

We just had our social on friday at red river community centre and i cant say enough great things about the venue and the staff! The staff were so accomodating with absolutely everything and went above and beyond their duties. Our parents said the bartenders were helping them stir the food in the oven, help set up all tables for food help put out food help serve coffee. At one point a family member was coughing lots and the bartender went out of his way to get her a glass of water. Everyone was so helpful i would recommend this venue to anyone!! – Carleigh Smokai 

5. Southdale Community Centre

Southdale Community Centre's Homepage
WEBSITEhttp://www.southdale.ca/
ADDRESS293 Murray Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2V 4H8, Canada
CONTACT DETAILSPhone: +1 (204) 257-6171

Facebook: Southdale Community Centre

OPERATING HOURS

Monday to Friday: 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Saturday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

CRITERIARATING
ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES/FACILITIES OFFERED★★★★★ 5/5
CENTRE QUALITY★★★☆☆ 3.5/5
> Clean and orderly★★★★★ 5/5
> Facilities are well-maintained★★☆☆☆ 2/5
RENTAL/REGISTRATION PRICES★★☆☆☆ 2/5
COMMUNITY IMPACT★★★☆☆ 3.5/5
> Promotes learning, wellness, and sustainability★★★★☆ 4.5
> Helped people access their rights and goals★★★☆☆ 3/5

The Southdale Community Centre offers many activities suitable for kids, adults, and the elderly. 

We checked its current programmes and found that it offers aerobics, martial arts, bingo games, senior citizen exercises, social dance classes, indoor and outdoor skating, and different kinds of sports.

A highlight of this community centre is its summer camp. From what we’re told, parents mentioned that their kids enjoyed playing games and making new friends with other kids in the same community through this summer programme.

Another strong point is that its social halls for rent are more spacious compared to what the other community centres in this review offer.

As of writing, the event halls can fit up to 265 people and cost $190 for the first four hours, and $70 to $80 per succeeding hour.

We’re also pleased to hear that these indoor spaces are cleaned and maintained, and are well-lit.

On the downside, it’s people will need to sign up for a Southdale membership before they can avail of the different programmes.

We’re also a bit disappointed that refunds aren’t given to those who can’t attend the activities they’ve registered for. Late registrations also don’t guarantee programme slots.

Another thing we’re not so pleased to hear about is that some of the heaters in the skating rinks weren’t functional, making some parts unbearably cold.

Pros

  • Offers many activities for kids and adults
  • Spacious social halls
  • Feedback on indoor spaces being clean, well-maintained, and well-lit

Cons

  • Need to sign up to avail of services
  • Some reports of the rink heaters being faulty

Customer Reviews

They have the best summer camps.

Summer camps are perfect. My son enjoys every minute of it. Staff too friendly and kids are mostly from the neighborhood; another good aspect of it. – N “Travel lover” R

Social halls are clean, tidy, and well-lit.

A good hall to host your social at. Clean and tidy with ample space for your guests and prizes, even has a seperate room at the back for people who don’t enjoy the louder music. – Micheal B.

FAQs on Community Centres


And that ends our unbiased take on the best community centres in Winnipeg!

For other community spaces suitable for recreation, wellness, and celebrations, take a look at these articles: