Community and Food Comes Together at The Cook Shack

Janet Connor and Morris Robinson cook up a storm at the Dyment Recreation Hall's Cook Shack on February 23. The community hosted events and activities for Family Day in Ontario, which also coincided with National Kindness Week in Canada.
Janet Connor and Morris Robinson cook up a storm at the Dyment Recreation Hall's Cook Shack on February 23. The community hosted events and activities for Family Day in Ontario, which also coincided with National Kindness Week in Canada.

Community cooking brings people together

BORUPS CORNERS, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO — From flipping pancakes at community breakfasts to serving up burgers and fries at local events, The Cook Shack is more than just a kitchen—it’s a gathering place. Huge thanks to the Local Services Board of Melgund Recreation Department for cooking up a storm during this month’s Family Day and National Kindness Week celebrations.

Over at Art Borups Corners and its Winnipeg Arts Incubator, food security and innovation have been at the heart of their work since 2023. Their pilot program—originally supported by Manitoba Agriculture and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership—helped strengthen local food systems.

This weekend was busy at the Dyment Recreation Complex as community members turned out for food and fireworks.
This weekend was busy at the Dyment Recreation Complex as community members turned out for food and fireworks.

Now, after two years of setbacks, artists in the community are gearing up for an exciting spring and summer revival. The program is ready to grow—not just in food production, but in its impact on arts and recreation. Even more exciting, a new artist-in-residency program is launching at their Winnipeg hub in May 2025. Thanks to the Local Services Board of Melgund for organizing last weekend’s amazing and inspiring community events and activities.

Here’s to a season of community, resilience, and creativity.

Art Borups Corners

Art Borups Corners is a dynamic participatory arts collective and living lab, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. It's a space where innovation and creativity thrive. The program was founded in 2014, with its arts incubator established in 2021 and 2022 with funding and support from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse. Today, working with students and faculty from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, we fuse traditional and participatory media arts with artificial intelligence, music, storytelling and community-driven, land-based artist residencies to cultivate new voices and bold ideas. Whether through collaborative projects or immersive experiences, our small but vibrant community supports creators to explore, experiment, and connect. Join us at the intersection of artistry, technology, culture and community—where every moment is a new opportunity to create.