KAMSACK — Kamsack is gearing up for an exciting event as it prepares to host a carnival this summer.
Barry Hvidston, the town administrator for Kamsack, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming festivities, to be held June 21 to June 23, mentioning attractions such as rides, games, food trucks, and beer gardens. Hvidston noted that while carnivals have been a part of the area's history, it has been decades since the last one.
"The biggest new thing is we’ve got a carnival coming," Hvidston remarked during a meeting with the Kamsack Times to discuss the town council meeting minutes. "We're looking for a few vendors still. There'll be beer gardens there. There'll be quite a few things."
Hvidston further elaborated on the carnival's offerings, stating, "Yeah, there's gonna be rides and games. Two food trucks are going to be in it and then we're going to be putting on the beer garden."
The carnival, organized by Canuck Amusements based in Selkirk, Man., will be a unique event for Saskatchewan, as it typically frequents provinces like Ontario, Manitoba, and occasionally Alberta. As Hvidston highlighted, Kamsack is one of seven Saskatchewan locations chosen for this year's carnival circuit.
Budgeting discussions & safety
Aside from carnival preparations, Kamsack is also focused on budgeting discussions, with meetings scheduled for April 1 and April 24. Additionally, assessment notices have been sent out to residents, with a deadline for responses set for May 6. The town is also undertaking spring cleanup efforts, including Sherise Fountain, the community safety officer, addressing traffic violations. Fountain also wanted to mention that, “Not all houses have house numbers on them and for EMS for firefighters, it's very important to have house numbers on your houses so that if you dial into 911 they know where they're going.”
Landfill closure
In other town matters, discussions are ongoing regarding the removal of the Woodlander Hotel remains and the closure of the landfill, which is nearing its capacity. Plans for a transfer station and closure of the current landfill facility are among the major budgetary items for the year, with estimated costs ranging from $2.5 to $3 million for the transfer station and approximately $1.3 million for closure.
“We've got a grant for closing the landfill right now,” said Hvidston. “And there's only about one year left that we can have garbage that can be dumped at that landfill and then it has to be officially closed. We are doing a transfer station for the landfill. That is one of our big budgetary items this year.
“It's a big dollar value. Looking at about 2.5 to $3 million for the transfer station and approximately 1.3 million for the closure of the current facility. And then we're looking at the C&D landfill as well. And that one is going to be a few hundred thousand dollars, just from looking at it during testing, but unfortunately with the government regulations as they are, we do not have an option to open up another cell to the dump. So that means we have to look at the transfer station and with the closure of the landfill within the next year, our hands are pretty much tied and we need the transfer station up and going before we can close the landfill.”
Clowns uncertain
Looking ahead, Kamsack is seeking grass cutters for town lots, following the retirement of a long-time cutter.
Regarding carnival specifics, when asked by the Kamsack Times Hvidston was unable to confirm the presence of clowns, but anticipation either way remains high for the event's success. More information regarding the carnival will come out with the monthly reflection on the town council meeting minutes as the carnival date gets closer.
