The Portage Community Revitalization Corporation has a new community facilitator.

Vienna Lopez started in her new position yesterday. She's from Nova Scotia, and has lived in Wawanesa, Brandon, and Mexico, where she met her husband. Lopez has lived in Portage for just over a year, and talks about how she'll approach the job over the coming months.

"It's learning more about the community around me," she says, "I've already been doing that on my own, as someone who lives here. But I want to know more about Portage. I want to know what people want, and so it's really kind of observing, relying on the experience of the people at the PCRC, and then bringing my own personal touch to things."

Lopez sees herself as a social person, so the position appealed to her.

"I love people, I love watching people, and helping people," she says, "I have learned, essentially, people are people. And so everyone, no matter the size of the community, they want to feel like they're part of something, and part of the community. So it's learning what this particular place wants."

PCRC Executive Director Victoria Espey's pleased the position's been filled, acknowledging the organization's seen some turnover in the last couple of years.

"We're really excited to have Vienna in this role," she says, "I think she's going to be a great fit. She seems like she's extremely community oriented, which you have to be to be the community facilitator. I think she'll work really well with outside organizations, and so we're really excited that she's here."