WINNIPEG, MB. - Never Give Up. I remember my Mom teaching me that as a young boy. Never give up. I'm grateful that Chuck Lewis of Expert Electric believed in me and never gave up because April 1 was the day we celebrated the first set of Flashing Amber Lights in a Winnipeg school zone.
In November of 2018, Councillor Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) learned that Chuck Lewis offered free flashing amber lights to the city a few years before. The city did not welcome his generous offer.
In July of 2019, I moved a motion to accept the flashing amber lights. It was a fight. It was delayed and delayed again and again. In total, it was more than a year delayed.
But, Lewis and Klein kept pushing. Then at one point, Chuck reached his limit as some city councilors were actively working against the offer and placement of the lights, so he withdrew his generous gift offer.
Klein asked Lewis to give it one more try. It was to be voted on at a city council meeting in September after many Winnipeg residents were outraged at the lack of leadership. Klein told his colleagues that Mr. Lewis would follow through, but we had to end this and support the motion to accept the gift with a few minor changes.
Unfortunately, it was not a unanimous vote, but it did pass, and on April 2, 2021, Chuck Lewis and Kevin Klein celebrated at the site of the first set of school zone flashing amber lights.
