The City of Dauphin, MB has pushed back construction on the Craft District Initiative to 2027. This summer’s heavy flooding forced the city to shift its focus to recovery, meaning the up to $1 million project on 2nd Avenue NW will no longer start in 2026.
The work was set to improve the block between Main Street North and 1st Street NW with wider sidewalks, better lighting, extra trees, landscaping, benches, bike racks, and string lighting. The city says the flood created new demands on municipal resources and changed contractor availability schedules.
Dauphin declared a State of Local Emergency on July 1, 2026 after about 115mm of rain fell in just a few days. Mayor David Bosiak called the flooding “as bad as I’ve ever seen it in the city of Dauphin.” Around 1,000 homes were affected, and the Dauphin Regional Health Centre had to evacuate 54 patients, including one infant, due to significant damage to elevators and HVAC systems.
The Craft District Initiative remains a key part of Dauphin’s downtown revitalization plan. The city says it will share more information as 2027 planning moves forward.
