Kamsack area residents have until tomorrow to support a nomination which could result in a prize of $250,000 to enhance the Kamsack Swimming Pool.
Earlier this month Hillary Walter, chair of the newly-formed Kamsack Recreation Board, nominated the pool in the Kraft Heinz Project Play program, which helps “to build a better future by building better places to play in communities across Canada.
“Over the past eight years, Kraft Heinz Project Play has contributed over $2.2 million to 68 communities across Canada,” said information on the program’s website. “The grand prize winner will receive $250,000 towards a recreational facility upgrade and the three finalists will each receive $20,000.”
Those top four winners will be announced on September 4, it said.
In the nomination form, Walter was asked to talk about the community’s passion and spirit for sport, recreation and active living.
“Kamsack is a beautiful town, nestled in the Assiniboine River valley in East Central Saskatchewan,” Walter said. “Our passion for sports is evident by the number of recreational facilities that the community has worked to create and all the hours put in teaching and coaching dance, karate, yoga, swimming lessons, baseball, hockey and soccer (and more!).
“Over the years, people in town have worked together to build an outdoor swimming pool, golf course, sportsgrounds with three ball diamonds, a skate park and an arena.
“The most recent projects are a walking trail throughout town and a disc golf course.
“With a growing population of young families in town and in the three nearby First Nations reserve communities, as well as an active seniors’ centre, these facilities are busy throughout the year.
“While neither of us are originally from Kamsack, my husband and I are choosing to raise our three kids here because we want them to see firsthand what a community dedicated to active living can accomplish.
Asked what community projectwould most benefit from the prize money, Walter said that if Kamsack is chosen as a finalist, the prize money will go towards improvements at the swimming pool and adjacent sportsgrounds.
“The swimming pool, built in the early 2000s, was designed to have two phases. The current pool has a diving board and is only suitable for older children as the shallow end is still too deep for most kids ages seven and under.
“Phase 2 involves expanding the shallow end to allow for a zero-depth entry and adding some spray park features. By creating a beach-style entry, the pool will become much more accessible for families with young children, seniors and anyone with mobility issues. The estimated cost to complete Phase 2 will be $450,000.
“As a member of the Kamsack Recreation Board, I know that the publicity of being a finalist in the contest would also help to build excitement around our larger plans to update the pool and sportsgrounds with a new multi-use building. The plans are for the new building to include wheelchair accessible change rooms for the pool, a new concession for the baseball diamonds, and accessible public washrooms for baseball spectators and cross-country skiers in the winter months.
“The estimated cost to build a new multi-use building is $600,000. The recreation board is comprised of a new generation of dedicated volunteers and parents of young children who are excited to build even more opportunities for future generations in Kamsack.
“We have plans to run fundraising campaigns in the coming year(s) for the swimming pool project. Being named a finalist in the Kraft Heinz Project Play competition would be an amazing opportunity to speed up progress on this project.”
Asked what impact the project would have on the community, Walter said that if Kamsack is named a finalist in the Kraft Heinz Project Play competition, it will have an impact in many different ways.
“The immediate impact of being able to complete Phase 2 of the pool project more quickly would mean that more families would be able to take swimming lessons and keep busy during the summer.
“Many families in town do not have access to a vehicle to drive to an accessible swimming pool--having one in town would give families with young kids and those with mobility issues more options to enjoy in the summer.
“There are also a number of families from nearby rural communities that would travel to Kamsack for lessons, instead of having to drive nearly 100 km each way to other pools.
“Completing the pool project quickly would also allow the recreation board to focus our fundraising efforts on the multi-use building at the sportsgrounds.
“The longer-term impact of this competition would be to increase engagement and pride in our community,” Walter said. “Kamsack is filled with many wonderful people who want to build a lasting legacy of active living for our kids and future generations. Previous generations of volunteers have built what we have today and there is a new generation eager to make it even better.
“Being named a finalist in this competition would give us a chance to show Canada what we can accomplish,” she said.
Persons wishing to add their support to the nomination have until tomorrow to do so by Googling Kraft Heinze Project Play.
