YORKTON - The City of Yorkton recently unveiled a rather thick report created regarding recreation in the city.
While it’s hard to argue that having something of a guideline in terms of the often expensive area of recreation – more than $7 million invested in the overall clubhouse project as a prime current example – it would also be fair to say the report did not offer a great number of startling insights.
At least at first blush it was rather standard fare. A second ice surface will be needed in time. It is good to invest in outdoor facilities as that seems a trend. It never hurts to consider expanding playground equipment facilities and so on.
On the playground front the city has upgraded equipment throughout the city and installed one which provides better handicap access, so while it is likely there are all kinds of options to invest in in terms of expansion, on that front Yorkton has been rather proactive.
Ditto on outdoor rec in general with a strong commitment to pathway paving, and adding facilities such as the skateboard park and disc golf over the years.
And, there are plans – funded in the last budget – for a pump bike track and added outdoor basketball facilities which was put on hold pending this recent study being completed. With a sort of green light on outdoor rec being a good thing one might expect the new facility to go forward especially with funds already ear marked for it.
As for the second ice surface, it has long been on the radar with a realization hockey remains a rather core recreation in the city, but so far it’s a patch and repair approach on the Kinsmen Arena and kick the building of a new second ice surface down the road as many years as possible.
It is interesting that it remains obvious hockey, and related rink activities from figure skating to recreational skating, is a key winter recreation in Yorkton.
It is also – as many recreations are – a huge element in terms of tourism. Sport tournaments bring people to the city virtually every weekend and that means hotel stays and restaurant meals and gasoline fill-ups and general shopping between games, and hockey has to be near the top in terms of that.
Yet, money for the two rinks always seems hard to come by.
The Kinsmen Arena story is noted above, and the rink was all but ignored in terms of investment when the former Agriplex was renovated and expanded to become the Gallagher Centre, and goodness knows there are areas that could use an upgrade.
For example you don’t want to be too tall, or bodily robust, or the seats in the arena will be uncomfortable at best and torture devices at worst.
And, let’s not forget the virtual disaster the Terrier dressing rooms and related facilities have been. They are finally being upgraded this summer, but that is a team-led effort, with the city only coming on board after the project was well-kickstarted.
Of course the $80K for dressing rooms pales compared to the investment at Deer Park, and the work is isolated to Terrier facilities, not the general dressing rooms.
So what now for the city and recreation?
Well, even without a newly minted study to glean through, recreation is critical in terms of community and central to tourism, and there is always upgrades needed and new options to consider – remember the request for a more basketball specific gym that came to council?
The key is that the study is a rather broad overview of things and should be looked at by Council at best as a guideline and not a definitive document on what is needed in Yorkton. For that Council needs to rely on the community as the field of recreation and community needs evolve.
