Released on August 19, 2014
By the opening of the 2015 camping season, approximately $850,000 will be invested in a new campground development and upgrades to the sewage lagoon at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park.“Our parks are some of Saskatchewan’s greatest assets and we are committed to improving and protecting these lands for the enjoyment of future generations,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Mark Docherty said. “Capital investments like these help prepare our parks, like our province, for growth.”
Opening in 2015, a new full-service campground development will be offered in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. Valley Campground, previously a collection of non-serviced campsites, has been undergoing extensive upgrades.
After the camping season closed last fall, work got underway on delivering water and electrical distribution to the campsites, a wastewater collection system, lighting and other ancillary items to convert the previously non-serviced Valley Campground to a full-service campground.
The new full-service campground responds to visitor feedback for more electrified campsites in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park.
The sewage lagoon in the park will also receive upgrades this year. KMS Contracting Ltd. from Tuxford has been selected to carry out the general contract portion of the project. The contract will include major earthwork construction, installation of a synthetic liner and related structures and site work. Improvements to wastewater conveyance systems will also be among the improvements made at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. This lagoon warrants upgrading in order to meet current environmental standards and requirements of the Water Security Agency.
Work on these upgrades is expected to be substantially complete by late fall 2014.
In 2013, the provincial park system set a record 3.7 million visits with Buffalo Pound Provincial Park receiving 169,765 of those visits.
The 2014-15 Budget has increased funding to provincial parks by 4.6 per cent this year. This includes capital and maintenance spending which will hit record levels with $14.9 million identified for upgrades and new construction projects. Total capital investments in provincial parks have increased 244 per cent in the past seven years compared to the previous seven year period.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Karen Ritchie
Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3506
Email: karen.ritchie@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-550-5927