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The South East Sport, Culture & Recreation District created the Training Fund to disburse grants to organizations, clubs and municipalities delivering community-based sport, culture and recreation services in south east Saskatchewan. This funding supports broad and inclusive training and development efforts that address foundational knowledge and core skill needs of volunteers and employees throughout the community sport, culture and recreation services sector.

The Town of White City is one of several communities who have benefitted from the funding this year. Their Manager of Community, Recreation and Stakeholder Relations, Jordan Wall, was able to attend a Project Planning and Scheduling online course through the University of Regina in September, 2021.

“Currently in White City, we are in the beginning of a detailed design stage of a major multi-use recreation centre project that is estimated to be built in stages over a minimum of six years, with the possibility of extending up to 15 years. As the project sponsor, a significant part of my role is to manage the project intricacies along with outside consultants, including our retained project management team,” explains Wall. The online course assisted Wall to increase his competencies in this area.

Wall states, “the training will increase our project management competency level which will align with our major recreation centre project.” The new recreation facility is estimated to cost between $65-80 million in phase one and two alone, which will be one of most important recreation investments in the region’s history.

South East District can support your next leadership development or education opportunity! Check out our Training Fund Guidelines to learn more on our grant page at southeastdistrict.ca/pages/our-funding!

Disc golf has been growing in popularity over the years in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan is home to roughly 70-disc golf courses, and there are more to come. This summer, a new course popped up in Arcola. The Arcola Optimist Disc Golf Park was open to the public on August 9th. With help from the Regina Disc Golf Association, the course was designed and installed.

What is disc golf?

Disc golf rules are easy to learn. The rules of disc golf and how you play are similar to traditional golf, but with disc golf discs instead of balls and clubs. One throw (stroke) is counted each time the disc is thrown and when a penalty is incurred. The goal is to play each hole in the fewest strokes possible. The player with the lowest total strokes for the entire course wins. The hole is completed when the disc comes to rest in a disc golf basket. Remember the most important rule: “The one who has the most fun wins!”

How did Arcola come up with the idea to create a disc golf course?

Over the course of a few months, several community members suggested that Arcola should look into building a disc golf course; The community members had played various other courses around the province, had great fun, and wanted to bring that experience to our Town!

Why did the community of Arcola want to offer disc golf as an activity?

Arcola had a greenspace area at the end of Main Street that had never been utilized over the years. A disc golf course seemed like the perfect way for all community members to enjoy this space!

What impact will it have on the community?

The Town of Arcola has already seen players locally and from afar. Our course can be found on the UDisc app, which will hopefully bring avid disc golfers to visit our small community!

Who can participate?

The simple answer is everyone. Disc golf is a healthy, inexpensive, recreational activity that anyone can participate in!

What kind of equipment is required?

Today’s disc golf players use many different discs, depending on the course layout. There are drivers, midrange, and putt and approach discs.

A special thank you to our course building crew; B & A Holdings LTD, Eugene Brown, Spencer Dyer, Daniel Paul, Jonathan George, Paul Le, Regina Disc Golf Association, and the Optimist Club of Arcola who have the naming rights of the course! Also to the sponsors, Sol & Kim Food Ltd., Arcola Co-op, Lees Sales & Service, Eagle Oilfield Ltd., CEDA, Cornerstone Credit Union, Arcola Agencies, and JJ Trucking!

Cheer Story Submitted by Ghislaine Carter, Recreation Director, Town of Arcola

In the summer of 2020, the Estevan Art Gallery & Museum (EAGM) introduced an exhibit named “Inside/Out,” with four outdoor installations at the Woodlawn Regional Park. It proved to be such a big success that they did a second “Inside/Out” installation in winter 2021, and a third installment in summer 2021.

How did the Inside/Out exhibit come to be?

During our 2020 programming year, the Estevan Art Gallery & Museum (EAGM) developed an outdoor exhibition during the closure of our gallery aptly named “Inside/Out”. We had previously established a working partnership with Woodlawn Regional Park, which is located on the southern outskirts of Estevan.

When our original plans to work with Woodlawn were cancelled due to COVID-19, the opportunity to partner with them came in the form of a public art display. During the mandated public closure of the Gallery, exhibitions were postponed, meaning a loss of opportunity and revenue for artists and a lack of access to contemporary art for the public at large. In realizing that there was a need for artistic access and the desire for partnership, along with artists needing exhibition options, “Inside/Out” was born.

What impact or benefits does art (such as Inside/Out) bring to the community and citizens?

Mental and physical health has been a huge concern for our community during the pandemic. With the disruption of many activities for all family members, particularly organised sport, the need for supplying alternative engagement is desired within our community. Camping and recreational activities have long served as a reprieve because they are accessible and have always been part of the Saskatchewan landscape and tradition. Estevan is no exception to this. We are using a popular experience, camping and the visitation of parks, as a means to reach out and provide much needed content to our target audiences. Art provides an opportunity to engage with contemporary issues in an alternative way. A positive mental health focus was our goal.

Who were all of the artists that contributed to the Inside/Out exhibit?

The four artists that participated in the original “Inside/Out” were Regina-based artist Belinda Harrow, Weyburn-based Regan Lanning, Saskatoon-based Monique Martin, and Regina-based Zoë Schneider. We have since done another two installments of “Inside/Out” currently featuring Weyburn-based Chantel Schultz in our winter edition and our current installment featuring our newcomer Artist in Residence, Estevan-based Ruth Langwieser. Risk-taking is a major part of this project and I cannot thank these artists enough for believing in the project and participating.

What was your takeaway from the Inside/Out exhibit?

The entire pandemic was a constant shifting and pivoting, the changes were constant. However, slowing down, thinking of alternative solutions and developing this project were something that was of immense value not only to our institution but to citizens and artists we serve. Public art has long been a keen interest of mine as a Curator but the time to focus on a project such as this was used for other events or in house programming. “Inside/Out” shifted how we could provide artistic opportunities to artists and the public alike, it was also significant in framing our application for an artist in residence.

Cheer Story Submitted by Amber Andersen, Director/Curator of the Estevan Art Gallery & Museum

June 14-20 was slated Recreation Professionals Week in Saskatchewan for the fourth year! #SKRECWEEK2021

What is recreation?
Recreation is the experience that results from freely chosen participation in physical, social, intellectual, creative and spiritual pursuits that enhance individual and community well-being.

Why are recreation professionals important to your province?
Think of your most enjoyable memory as a kid. Odds are, you’re thinking of something outdoors where you were playing with family or friends. This is natural as our connection to play, enjoyment and general happiness is from memories that involved family, friends and playing.

Now that you have these memories going through your mind, do you remember any person(s) in your life who were always around making sure the spaces and places you were playing as a child were safe. Safe, so that you could simply be a kid enjoying life? These people were likely recreation professionals (although they may not hold that title), they were working in the background of your community making parks, open spaces and recreation facilities safe places for you, your family and friends to play. These opportunities and experiences are made possible through the hard work and passion of Saskatchewan’s Recreation Professionals. This diverse group of professionals includes any person working in the field of recreation and parks in a non-volunteer capacity.

Recreation professionals envision a Saskatchewan where everyone is engaged in meaningful, accessible recreation experiences, that
foster:

• Individual well-being
• Well-being of natural and built environments
• Community well-being

Programs and services offered by recreation professionals foster:

• Active living
• Inclusion and access
• Connecting people and nature
• Supportive environments
• Recreation capacity

Behind a thriving community and highly valued services are educated, trained professionals that care deeply about the people that they help.

Did you know? We have over 30 rec professionals across communities in the south east?

Want to learn more about what a Recreation Director can bring to your community and how to start a position? Request a “Hiring a Recreation Director” presentation at your next council or board meeting by contacting Joni Hagen, ED, at ed@southeastdistrict.ca.

Article Courtesy: Saskatchewan Association of Recreational Professionals

Ryan Reiss, Mayor of the Town of Vibank, recently presented at the South East District 2021 Annual General Meeting. He shared why and how their community focused on recreation planning in 2020. Vibank is located approximately 30 minutes south east of Regina down Highway 48. It is a growing, diverse community of just under 400 people.

The Recreation Board has been through various life cycles throughout the years. The board used to be a large group of community members managing all recreation in the Village as well as recreation facilities (Rink, Ball Diamonds). That group collapsed – facilities were turned over to the Village who then attempted to operate those facilities and programming through great difficulty. The Recreation Board still existed, but at a support capacity instead of being the driving force in sport, recreation, and culture.

“A culture shift has occurred and is still occurring: a disconnect between two generations exists – our seniors who have put in the time and work and are trying to pass the torch, and the younger generations who are trying to balance the demands of today’s lifestyle and society while still being active in the community.”

Ryan reflected, “COVID-19 gave us the opportunity to slow down and ponder who we are. What do we want to be known for? What are our goals? Where are we going and what is our purpose? Why do we exist? We became aware of a funding opportunity through South East District for the purpose of assisting in the development of a strategic plan for recreation.”

The Recreation Board had never done any planning before. There was nothing ever written down or documented – they had an old bylaw passed by Village Council in 2006 approving the existence of a board. When the grant opportunity presented itself, one of the board members reached out to South East District for more detail. “South East District was critical in their support in educating the board as to what this would look like and the intent behind the opportunity for funding,” stated Ryan Reiss. “As a board, taking the information that was provided to us, we decided this was a critical document we needed to have in place for us to keep moving into the future.”

Ryan described key take-aways from the recreation planning process:

• The most important thing is to look for ways to lay the groundwork and foundation for what you want to be as a Recreation Board and what your purpose is.
• The Vibank Recreation Board now has a solid, condensed, strategic plan which will guide us on moving forward. It is a living, breathing document.
• We have a defined Mission and Vision, and Key Values that our small group feel are core to being successful.
• We have defined outcomes in Governance, Programming, and Facilities – where there was nothing before. We have guidance for the decisions we make.
• We have a foundation now – something to build off.

The South East District Community Recreation Plan Grant is now available for 2021 – more information can be found at www.southeastdistrict.ca. Apply now!