Be on Time! Advertising Deadline: 12 Noon on Tuesday

Friday, March 27, 2026

For PDF version of this weeks paper, please click here...

Click here to review older issues.....

We need to talk about the Courthouse

Neepawa Council discuss Beautiful Plains County Courthouse

By Eoin Devereux

It might be time for everyone to have an uncomfortable conversation about the future of the Beautiful Plains County Courthouse.
At the latest Neepawa Town Council meeting, Darryl Gerrard brought forward a discussion on the century plus old building.Gerrard, who also sits as a member of Courthouse board, explained that the facility is facing an array of challenges right now. Those challenges include the passing of deficit budget in 2026, the depletion of the funding reserves over the last five years and significant structural issues that need to be addressed, sooner rather than later. He added that it could be time to look at Neepawa’s long-term involvement in that facility.
“As a community, we’re going to have to review how and on what levels we want to participate in that facility. Currently, we have no use in it,” explained Gerrard. “Just my personal opinion…Does it warrant Neepawa considering its’ options of being a partner in that facility…I’m just throwing it out there.”

Gerrard clarified his comments to stress that there is no action at this time in regard to Neepawa diversifying itself from the building, and that this is just ‘having the conversation’.

“I think [the discussion] warrants transparency in the community.”

It’s important to note that Neepawa does not own the Beautiful Plains County Courthouse. As it is currently structured, there are three existing partners responsible for managing the building: The Town of Neepawa. R.M. of North Cypress-Langford and the R.M. of Rosedale. The costs of maintaining the building are split amongst the partners, with one partner (Rosedale) using the facility full time to do business out of and another (North Cypress-Langford) using it sporadically for municipal business. Neepawa, in terms of municipal operations, does not operate out of the building whatsoever. The Neepawa & District Chamber of Commerce, and Victoria’s Quilts do rent space within the building, but are merely paying tenants.