Central Station Community Centre continues to be a connecting place in Winkler.

New Executive Director, Bev Wiebe started this month and says she's excited about the momentum the community centre has built.

Along with a bevy of programs and services offered out of the 545 Industrial Drive location behind Red River College, she notes having the Winkler and District Food Cupboard join them in the next couple of weeks will create a great partnership.

Currently residents pick up food vouchers at Central Station before driving to the food cupboard's location on Cargill Road. Soon people will be able to pick up vouchers at Central Station, walk next door to pick up groceries, and use those same ingredients at the Central Station cooking classes.

"We're continuing to get new organizations that want to collaborate with us, which is huge because we're not independent, we're going to be working with many different organizations. So I think that collaboration is just going to continue to build as people are more aware of what we do."

Central Station offers a number of cooking and budgeting classes, parenting programming, community meals.

"They're available for everyone in the community," Wiebe says, regardless of income level. "They link people in our community... connecting the dots."

She notes many cross-cultural friendships have been forged through their cultural meals as well.

"I do think we're breaking down barriers, connecting people from different groups, ethnicity, income brackets... it does cause you to rub shoulders with people you haven't had the opportunity to," Wiebe says. "All of a sudden you're volunteering with someone who's different than you are. I think that's been huge for our community."

Wiebe is no stranger to Central Station, she has been a long-time board member, volunteer and host at the community centre, and says the transition to executive director has gone smoothly.

"I feel like I have a lot to offer the community, I feel like I have gifts and talents I want to use, so it seemed like a natural time and natural fit for me," she says. "I see it as a mission for myself, just to be able to use what I have."