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The Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach is losing its General Manager (GM).

Grant Lazaruk is President of the Southeast Events Group (SEG). He announced this week that their GM, Melanie Hiebert, will be stepping down.

“She’s made the decision that she is going to move on and pursue other opportunities,” says Lazaruk.

A new sport may be establishing itself in Steinbach.

The Southeast Event Centre played host to a pair of wheelchair rugby sessions, a sport combing basketball, rugby and soccer and played in wheelchairs, this summer including July 10.

The sessions were run by the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association, which brought the chairs for participants to use during the sessions. Chris Klodt is the president of the association and ran the events in Steinbach.

In the midst of a grueling July heatwave, passersby of the Southeast Event Centre on Monday could have been forgiven for giving a doubletake as reams of white felt, several Christmas trees and a dozen people wearing parkas and mitts lingered around the facility entrance under the wilting sun.

Great American Family Productions, a faith-based production company affiliated with Hallmark, chose Steinbach’s SEC to serve as an airport terminal entrance for its upcoming movie The Christmas Yes List, which will feature Hollywood veteran actors Danica McKellar and Sam Page.

Just in time for the blistering heat wave that crushed southern Manitoba, the Southeast Event Centre has installed their ice for the season.

The ice in the main rink at the SEC was removed June 1, with the centre hosting the Manitoba Fire Chiefs conference among other community events, including during Summer in the City.

“While we’ve enjoyed seeing our arenas transformed for conferences, community gatherings, and recreational programming over the past several months, we’re thrilled to be preparing for the return of ice,” SEC director of sport programming Gabriel Brandt said in a news release.

Wheelchair rugby has arrived in southeastern Manitoba, offering a chance for people outside Winnipeg to try the Paralympic sport.

Brianna Seewald says it was also a chance to find her community — and herself.

Before a car accident six years ago, she was heavily involved in organized sports.

A four-time Paralympian from Niverville helped shine a spotlight on wheelchair rugby as people from across southeastern Manitoba packed the SCU Gym at the Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach for the second of two free “Have a Go Days” this summer.

The Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association hosted free “Have a Go Days” at the Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach on June 10 and again on Friday, July 10, introducing participants aged 13 and older to the fast-paced sport of wheelchair rugby.

With year-round ice now available at the Southeast Event Centre, the Steinbach Skating Club is launching its first-ever summer skating programs, giving skaters of all ages a chance to stay active during the warmer months.

Brewed to Win
When: July 11

Where: K.R. Barkman Park, Steinbach, MB

The fifth annual Tim Hortons Brewed to Win Amazing Race is expected to bring up to 200 racers together for a day of challenges, pit stops and friendly competition. The event concludes with an Afterburn social at the Southeast Event Centre, with tickets available for $15. All proceeds go towards the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps and Southeast Cancer Support Services.

The Southeast Event Centre will be filled with entertainment, prizes and community spirit Saturday as the Afterburn Social raises money for both Southeast Cancer Support Services (SCSS) and the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.

Young basketball players from across the province are taking to the court July 1 to 3 as the Battlegrounds Exposure Camp returns, providing middle school and high school athletes with an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of coaches, scouts and talent evaluators.

The three-day camp hosted at the Southeast Event Centre focuses on high-level competition, skill development and creating pathways for athletes looking to continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level.

Steinbach City Council has approved first reading of a bylaw that would provide a $400,000 loan to the Southeast Events Group Inc. to support operations at the Southeast Event Centre.

Council unanimously passed first reading of By-law 2272 during its first regular meeting this month. The proposed loan would provide working capital for the non-profit organization that operates the Southeast Event Centre on behalf of the city.

If ultimately approved, the loan would be funded through the City’s Committed Expenditure Reserve Fund and repaid over approximately four years.

Fire chiefs from across Manitoba have converged on Steinbach for the 76th annual Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs conference.

This year’s event is being held at the Southeast Event Centre and is being hosted by Steinbach Fire, Hanover Fire, and Eastman Mutual Aid District.

This year’s theme is When Leadership Grows, Departments Thrive. Steinbach Fire Chief Kel Toews, who is also President of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs, says when leaders continue to learn and move forward, departments thrive, and so do communities.

The conference includes a tradeshow, which started Thursday evening. Toews says they also have speakers coming in from across Canada for the conference, ending Saturday.

Fire service leaders from across Manitoba are in Steinbach this week for the 2026 Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs Annual Conference and Trade Show.

The three-day event, running June 11 to 13 at the Southeast Event Centre, brings together fire chiefs, firefighters, municipal representatives and industry partners to discuss issues facing fire departments and emergency responders across the province.

The conference is being hosted jointly by the Steinbach Fire Department, Hanover Fire Department and the Eastman Mutual Aid District.

At the Southeast Event Centre, Forum & Bistro is building a reputation as a dining destination in its own right.

From interactive cocktail classes to locally inspired patio nights and curated pairing dinners, the restaurant is creating new ways for the community to gather around food and drink.

“We talk about bringing people together and gathering and playing and growing,” says Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, director of communications, marketing and sales. “And so often, could we even get together if there wasn’t food?”

One of the venue’s most popular concepts continues to be “The 45,” an intimate food-and-beverage pairing experience that seats 45 guests at Forum & Bistro. Previous events have featured wine and whiskey pairings, but upcoming editions are taking a more collaborative approach by partnering with other local businesses.

longstanding community worship event during Steinbach’s Summer in the City (SITC) festival is getting a major change of venue this year.

Service moves indoors for 2026
Andrew Dyck, lead pastor at Stony Brook Fellowship Church and co-chair of Worship in the City, says the excitement is building for the annual service.

“This is something we do every year for the festival. A highlight for me personally is always the community worship service, and this year is no different,” he says.

This year, the service will move to the Southeast Event Centre, offering organizers more space and a weatherproof setting as they prepare for what they hope will be their largest gathering yet.

Steinbach has become an international music destination after four bands from the Philippines booked to play the city’s Southeast Event Centre.

Promoters said they were drawn to the Manitoba city by the size of its new 3,500-seat venue, the large Filipino community there and Steinbach’s proximity to Winnipeg.

The first concert, this Saturday, is the Kundiman tour, which involves three bands from the Philippines who helped define the OPM (original Filipino music) genre: Moonstar88, Silent Sanctuary and Hale.

by GREG VANDERMEULEN A pair of Steinbach businesses will host a charity hockey game to raise funds for a local charity. Premier Portable and The LumberZone will see the first game of this kind...

A new dodgeball league is preparing to launch in Steinbach this fall, and organizers are inviting residents to try the sport for free during a special introductory event.

Southeast Event Centre will host the come-try night on May 27 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., giving people a chance to experience what league play will look like before registration officially opens later this summer.

Nick Grenier, who lives in Ile des Chenes and runs a league in Winnipeg, says the idea came together as the Southeast region continues to grow.

“With the new Southeast Event Centre, it just felt like it was at the right time to try to spread the sport into other communities, and I think there’s no better place to start than that facility.”

A charity hockey game and silent auction featuring local business leaders and former high-level players is set to hit the ice in support of Safe Families Steinbach.

Community support behind new fundraiser
The fundraiser, organized by local businesses including Premier Portable Buildings and Lumber Zone, will take place at the Southeast Event Centre and aims to support Safe Families Steinbach while becoming an annual community tradition.

The fastest-growing sport in North America continues to build momentum in Steinbach, and the Southeast Event Centre is making it easier than ever for players of all experience levels to get involved.

The Steinbach Pistons drew more fans this year than nearly every other Junior A hockey club in Canada.

Kevin Geisheimer is Director of Operations for the Steinbach Pistons. He says the Pistons averaged 1,885 fans per game during the 2025/26 season. Based on data compiled from the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), the Pistons ranked #2 nationally. The only team with a higher average attendance was the Edmundston Blizzard of the Maritime Hockey League (MHL), with 2,327 fans per game.

The Southeast Event Centre is performing better than expected after its first full year of operation, according to Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk.

Funk spoke following a recent presentation by the Southeast Events Group to Steinbach City Council’s Strategic Priorities Committee.

The presentation outlined the facility’s financial performance, event activity, operational challenges and future opportunities.

A major change is coming to Steinbach’s Summer in the City festival Sunday worship service this year, and organizers say it opens the door for even more people to take part.

For the first time, the annual Worship in the City Sunday service will move indoors to the Southeast Event Centre, and with the larger venue comes a brand-new mass community choir open to singers from across southeastern Manitoba.

by SVJETLANA MLINAREVIC For the first time in its 95-year history, the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce held its AGM and economic summit in Steinbach on May 1. “Well, a lot of the reasons (why we chose...

A new tasting event is set to debut at the Southeast Event Centre (SEEC), offering residents a chance to sample a wide variety of beverages while supporting a local organization.

Southeast Pour
Organizers say Southeast Pour is part of a broader event to build community engagement around the city’s relatively new events facility.

“When we talk about the whole community being part of this, it becomes more important than ever,” says Michelle Sawatzky Director, Communications, Marketing and Sales at SEEC.

Sawatzky notes early ticket sales have been strong, with hundreds already sold.

“You will not be alone when you come. You will add to the incredible environment that it will be.”

by CASSIDY DANKOCHIK While the season may have ended a little early for the Steinbach Pistons’ liking, the team still gathered April 15 at the Pat Porter Centre to recognize some outstanding...

A massive third-period comeback had the Southeast Event Centre rocking, as the Steinbach Pistons kept their season alive by defeating the Virden Oil Capitals 4-2 in game five, forcing a game six coming up on Sunday.

First period
Facing elimination, the Pistons came out of the gate on their toes, pushing hard to find offence while also having defensive details.

All the hard work paid off with some really good chances in the opening half of the period, but they couldn’t convert, keeping it a scoreless draw.

A power play for Virden would give them the opening marker, as for the fourth time in the series, it was the Oil Caps striking first, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Both teams traded chances the rest of the way, but neither team could find the back of the net, ensuring a 1-0 lead for Virden carried into the second period.

The score stayed 1-0 thanks in large part to the work of Steinbach’s Easton Thvedt, who was sensational through the first and would only get better as the game went along.

The Steinbach Pistons are gearing up for a high-stakes playoff matchup Friday night as they look to keep their season alive in front of what is expected to be another packed crowd at the Southeast Event Centre.

The Pistons host Game 5 of their playoff series at 7 p.m. on April 10, trailing the series three games to one in a must-win situation.

Kevin Geisheimer, Director of Business Operations for the Pistons, says fan turnout has remained strong throughout the playoffs.

“We’ve been over 2,000 fans for all of our playoff games,” said Geisheimer. “For the game coming up tonight at 7 o’clock, we only have a few hundred tickets available.”

He encourages fans to purchase tickets in advance to avoid missing out.

by GREG VANDERMEULEN

After a year’s hiatus, the community garage sale is back, thanks to the Southeast Event Centre.

Last year’s event was cancelled due to arena construction, and the SEC says it’s back under a new name.

Called the Garage Sale Marketplace at SEC, this year’s event will take place on April 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the T.G. Smith Arena.

A new event at the Southeast Event Centre aims to give Steinbach residents a reason to stay close to home for a night out, while showcasing the region’s growing food and beverage scene.

The Southeast Pour, taking place Friday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m., is designed as a tasting-style experience that brings together beer, wine, spirits and local food vendors under one roof. For Amanda Curwin, Director of Food & Beverage at the Southeast Event Centre (SEC), the idea is simple: create an approachable, community-focused alternative to larger festivals typically found in bigger cities.

“We’re really excited about the Southeast Pour,” she says. “The original thought was to bring a mini wine, whiskey and beer fest to our community, something completely new where you can experience everything in one place.”

A major moment for a southern Manitoba architect is also a point of pride for Steinbach, as the building he helped bring to life continues to draw crowds for one of the city’s biggest sporting weekends of the year.

Local connection to Steinbach’s newest landmark
As fans prepare to pack the Southeast Event Centre Saturday night for Game 5 of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoffs, few may realize the arena itself is part of a larger story of prairie-built architecture.

Jeff Penner of Winkler, a partner with Verne Reimer Architecture, has been named a fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, one of the highest honours in the profession. His work includes the Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach, now home to the Steinbach Pistons.

As the Steinbach Pistons head into the playoffs this Friday, the excitement isn’t just about hockey. It’s about community.

From packed stands to pregame gatherings and local partnerships, the playoff push is shaping up to be as much a social event as it is a sporting one.

For Jamie Roy, director of sales and marketing for the Pistons, that sense of momentum has been building all season.

“It’s a bit of a different feeling than last year because we would have just been fresh into the new building.”

Adate decades in the making finally came to pass March 4, as the Steinbach Pistons were able to host their annual Fire and Ice Banquet at the Southeast Event Centre.

Team banquets in the past were held in Friedensfeld Hall or the Niverville Heritage Centre, but with a top class facility to play out of, the team transformed their ice surface into a banquet hall for over 500 guests.

Team president Grant Lazaruk welcomed guests to the 16th annual Fire and Ice Banquet.

“A major reason we hold the title of the best junior hockey organization in Canada is the incredible support we receive from our sponsors, from our volunteers, our fans, our community,” Lazaruk said.

“From the bottom of our hearts we thank you.”

Attendees at the Steinbach Pistons annual Fire and Ice Banquet got an inside look at the return of NHL hockey to Manitoba, as Winnipeg Jets owner Mark Chipman was the guest speaker at the event.

It was the first time the Pistons had hosted their banquet inside their home rink, with the Southeast Event Centre fully transformed with guests eating and drinking just above the actual ice surface.

“It’s unbelievable,” Chipman said when asked what he thought of the SEC.

Pickleball continues to surge in popularity across North America, and now adults in Southeastern Manitoba have a new place to play, learn and connect.

The Southeast Event Centre has launched The Court House Pickleball Club, a new program designed to bring people together through one of the fastest-growing sports in the region. The club offers weekly drop-in play, league opportunities and a welcoming environment for players of all experience levels – especially beginners.

“Our mission at the Southeast Event Centre is to promote community through high-quality recreational activities,” says Gabriel Brandt, director of sports programming. “Pickleball is accessible, competitive and social – everything you need to make this the highlight of your week.”

The annual Steinbach Pistons Fire and Ice Banquet was a resounding success, bringing players and fans together for an evening of celebration.

Director of Business Operations Kevin Geisheimer says the night was spectacular, highlighting both the strong attendance and the fact that it was the first banquet held at the Southeast Event Centre.

“It was everything we thought it would be. It’s pretty special to be able to do a banquet right on the same surface where we play in our home community on a weekly basis. It’s super special, and the community came out in a big way.”

Figure skaters from across southeastern Manitoba will take to the ice this weekend as several local clubs come together for a new regional showcase in Steinbach.

A figure skating first
The 2026 Southeast Figure Skating Show will feature skaters from multiple communities performing together in one large end-of-season event.

Organizer Andrea Wolgemuth, a coach with the Steinbach Skating Club, says the idea was to bring together clubs that usually operate separately.

“This is the first time ever we’ve joined all the clubs in the southeast together to do one big show for the end of the year,” Wolgemuth says.

Four clubs are involved in the show, including the Steinbach Skating Club, Seine River Skating Club, based in Île-des-Chênes and Lorette, Niverville Skating School and La Broquerie Skating Club.

Steinbach city council has given third reading to two borrowing bylaws, approving debt for the Southeast Event Centre (SEC) and for upgrades to the Loewen Boulevard and Highway 12 intersection.

The first bylaw authorizes borrowing to complete construction of the SEC. The Municipal Board has approved the debenture, allowing council to proceed with final approval. The loan will be repaid over five years at an interest rate of 3.83 per cent.

The Steinbach Pistons have turned their home games into full-blown events. From in-house replays, themed nights, live music and competitions, the Southeast Event Centre is a party for Junior A home games.

Kevin Geisheimer was brought on at the beginning of last season as the team’s director of business operations. After a season in La Broquerie and a last-second move back to Steinbach, the Pistons have established themselves in their new rink.

Hundreds of students from local schools filled the Southeast Event Centre (SEC) with cheers during a recent Steinbach Pistons school-day game, an experience educators say left a lasting impression on students.

Community partnership
The outing brought together close to 2,000 students from multiple Hanover School Division (HSD) schools, many of whom were attending a Pistons game for the first time on Monday, Jan. 26.

From the moment students arrived, the atmosphere inside the arena delivered what one school administrator described as a “wow factor.”

Anders Rempel, principal at Elmdale School, says the relationship between the Pistons and HSD is a wonderful community partnership built through Mike Kehler, Team Chaplain for the Steinbach Pistons.

“I feel like we’re part of something really special to have a team with a new arena who wants to fill their building and who wants to build a fan base,” Rempel says.

The Steinbach Pistons partnered with the Southeast Event Centre to create a fun and memorable experience for students across the Southeast.

Pistons Director of Business Operations Kevin Geisheimer explains that a November game against the Winnipeg Blues had been postponed due to weather. After struggling to find a new date, both teams agreed on a mid-day puck drop and decided to turn it into a special event for local schools.

“We did that last year in La Broquerie with a postponed game, and it worked out pretty cool, but now we could do it at a whole other level in this building.”

The Grand Slam of Curling left a lasting impact on Steinbach, generating increased local spending, sold-out hotels and a renewed sense of community pride.

Community response
To better understand the event’s impact, the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce distributed a voluntary survey to local businesses and the community following the event.

“We wanted to reach out to the community and find out what was some of the economic impact that came from this fabulous event,” says Tessa Masi, executive director of the chamber.

The chamber received more than 100 responses to its voluntary survey.

Steinbach took centre stage as the Grand Slam of Curling brought national attention and packed crowds to the Southeast Event Centre.

With the event now wrapped up, SEC staff are reflecting on both the highlights and the challenges that came with hosting a major bonspiel.

Months of preparation paved the way
General Manager Melanie Hiebert says preparation began months in advance, with countless hours spent planning before the first rock was ever thrown.

She adds that the hands-on work intensified on January 2, when the building transformation began.

The Grand Slam of Curling wrapped up as a major success at the Southeast Event Centre (SEC), drawing crowds and international attention.

In the stands, seats were filled with community members, curling fans and local politicians, all eager to see the world’s top athletes compete.

Goertzen says the Grand Slam’s impact went beyond the ice
Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen says it’s wonderful to see this event come to fruition after years of planning.

A major curling event in Steinbach briefly doubled as a movie set Friday night, as a film crew working on a Hollywood production captured scenes during the Grand Slam of Curling at the Southeast Event Centre.

According to a fan that got to spend some time with the stars of the movie, it is titled Sticks and Stones, tells the story of American curler John Shuster. It is focused on his underdog journey to Olympic gold in 2018.

The Grand Slam of Curling will be leaving Steinbach after several incredible days, but Steinbach Curling Club President Cody Bergen believes the impact of having such a great event in the city will be felt for a long, long time.

What a wonderful few days

Throughout the last few days, Bergen says it’s been a group effort from the curling club as they helped in and around the event. “I can’t speak highly enough of how the curling club came together and helped to supply a number of volunteers for this event, and how smoothly the event went. It was just impressive, and I think everybody had a great time, and the whole week was just a tremendous success.”

STEINBACH — Kerri Einarson has waited a long time for a chance to win a Grand Slam of Curling event in her home province.

Unfortunately for the Gimli-based skip, raising a trophy with loads of family and friends in the stands wasn’t meant to be on Sunday as she came up short in a 6-5 loss to Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni in the Players’ Championship final inside Steinbach’s Southeast Event Centre.

Steinbach is hosting some of the best curlers in the world this week, as the Grand Slam of Curling takes over the Southeast Events Centre, drawing elite international teams and dedicated fans from across Canada.

The event is serving as a key tune up for athletes heading to the Olympic Games, while also offering local residents a rare opportunity to watch world class curling without leaving the region.

Young curlers from across the Southeast are soaking in the excitement of elite competition in Steinbach as the Grand Slam of Curling continues.

Steinbach Curling Club Junior Coordinator Gord Oakley says Team Wiebe, the club’s U15 female team, recently qualified for the 2026 Manitoba Winter Games. He adds that hosting a Grand Slam has been an incredible opportunity, allowing the young athletes to watch several games firsthand.

“[It’s] an opportunity to not only watch their hero’s play, they get to meet them in person, get an autograph and picture. These teams are the best in the world.”

The Grand Slam of Curling Players’ Championship is underway at the Southeast Event Centre, featuring a familiar name on the ice.

BJ Neufeld, the son of Steinbach-born professional curler Chris Neufeld, is competing with Mike McEwen’s team, representing Saskatchewan.

BJ usually curls with Reid Carruthers, but that team did not qualify for this event.

He explains that Colton Flasch of Team McEwen reached out a few weeks ago, explaining that Kevin Marsch is expecting his son and would probably be staying home for the Crown Royal Players Championship in Steinbach, which opened the door for BJ to step in.