Rural Sask Heart Beat: Parks and Recreation

Gilles Laberge

Summer is here and people are looking for excuses to get away for a little holiday. June also happens to be Parks and Recreation Month. In celebration of that I will guide readers to some of the great National, Provincial and Regional parks this fine province has to offer. As well as some fun recreational stops worth checking out.

National Parks

There are 2 National Parks in Saskatchewan: Grasslands and Prince Albert. Grasslands National Park is located in Southwest Saskatchewan, south of Val Marie and near the North Dakota border. Plains Bison were reintroduced to the West Block of Grasslands National Park in 2005. Black-footed Ferrets were reintroduced to Grasslands National Park in 2009. You can enjoy camping, backpacking, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and bird watching in the park. Lots of great things to do.

Check out the park's website

Prince Albert National Park is about 80 km NW of Prince Albert. The park opened in 1928. You can enjoy camping, hiking, horseback riding and bird watching in the park. There are over 150 km of hiking trails and 12 cross-country ski & snowshoe trails in the park. You can also partake in fishing (and ice fishing in Winter) on Waskesiu Lake.

Check out the park's website

There is free admission for youth aged 17 and under at all National Parks across Canada in 2018.

Provincial Parks

Saskatchewan’s provincial park system was created in 1931 with the establishment of six provincial parks. It has now grown to protect 194 separate, legally designated park lands, comprising 1.25 million hectares, including 35 provincial parks.

Great Blue Heron Provincial Park was designated in 2013 and is located 50 km North of Prince Albert off Hwy #2 adjacent to Prince Albert National Park. This park is popular with hikers, anglers and canoeists. There are groomed hiking & cross-country ski trails connecting to Prince Albert National Park.

Check out the website for all provincial parks.

Regional Parks

Moosomin & District Regional Park was established in 1955 and was the SPRA 2017 Park of the Year. There is an Outdoor Movie every Friday night in July and August. Camping Season runs May 15th to September 30th. There is fishing (perch/walleye/northern pike), skiing and kayaking on Moosomin Lake. Check out their website.

Davidson
Panther Swimming Pool opened at 400 Hamilton Street in 2017. The pool opens for the season on June 15th, 2018. Public Swimming will run 1 to 5 pm and 6 to 8:30 pm.
Starting in July, Panther Swimming Pool will be hosting free swims for the family on selected Tuesday evenings courtesy of Riverbend Co-op.

Gravelbourg
Gravelbourg & District Aquaplex (1st Avenue East) is an indoor pool located in the west entrance of College Mathieu. It includes a semi-olympic sized pool, a children's wading pool, 2 diving boards and access for the mobility impaired. Seasonal pool is open from May to August.

Indian Head

Indian Head is a small town with lots of great stuff to do; especially in the realm of Parks & Recreation. Totally worth taking the family for a day trip. Here are just a few of the great things to do.

Indian Head Outdoor Swimming Pool is located at 900 Grand Avenue (Dixon Park) and opened for the season on June 1st. Indian Head Spray Park is located in Dixon Park and operates daily from 9 am to 9 pm. Community Spaces Skate Park is located in Dixon Park and is open until fall from 9 am to 9 pm. Dixon Park is located at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Grand Avenue.

Rouleau
Everybody around here knows Rouleau for having been the home of Corner Gas. But the little town south of Moose Jaw also has a pretty great summer park for kids and one of the coolest sporting challenges in the province. The Rouleau Community Spray Park is located in Cenotaph Park. Construction began on the Spray Park in May 2015.

Wood Mountain
Wood Mountain Regional Park is located 8 km South of Wood Mountain and is open May Long Weekend to September Long Weekend. There are camping sites (approximately 60 sites), concession booth, outdoor swimming pool, playground (new playground equipment has been installed), laundry, shower, 2 ball diamonds and a hall that can be rented for family gatherings in the park.

The Swimming Pool opens in July, and swimming lessons run throughout July and August. Ranch Rodeo Museum is located beside the swimming pool and open 7 days a week from May to September. One of the coolest features of the park is that you can hike to the top which overlooks the entire park, to where a monument to Sitting Bull is erected.

Wood Mountain Post Provincial Historic Park is located along Highway #18. Wood Mountain Post was established as a NWMP post in 1874 to patrol the Canada/U.S. Border and police whiskey traders, horse thieves and cattle rustlers. Wood Mountain post features 2 reconstructed buildings that tell the story of Major James Walsh of the NWMP and his negotiations with Chief Sitting Bull.

The Wood Mountain Stampede is the biggest event in the region. It's Canada's oldest rodeo, now going 128 years strong. It's got all the trappings of any great rodeo. It runs July 6th, 7th and 8th, 2018. Check out their website.

You can check out more about other regional parks on the website at www.saskregionalparks.ca.

Hope you have a chance to enjoy some amazing parks and recreation facilities across the province during this month.

moose jawJune 11, 2018