SubscribeThe City of Yorkton is Planning for the Future of Parks, Recreation and Culture
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Citizens, community organizations, and visitors all benefit from the wealth of sport, recreation, culture, and park opportunities available in Yorkton. These quality-of-life services enhance the health of individuals, families, and the community itself. Because of their importance, it is critical that they are managed in a sustainable manner that best meet the needs of our community.
The City of Yorkton is embarking on the projects below to improve the excellent quality of life available in our community. We have engaged three separate consultants, each specializing in the expertise required for each project. An important aspect of any community project is community engagement, as we want to ensure that we understand your needs. Therefore, each of these consultants will be reaching out to the community on behalf of the City, to obtain public input and feedback. You will see various methods of communication from the consultants, and we encourage you to participate. Each project will have a specific icon or brand that will be used to differentiate between the three project engagement processes, as well as the consultant name and logo. Watch for this information on our social media platforms, web pages and in print. We hope that you will participate as we want you to have your say.
“Proper planning and community engagement is very important and will help us more effectively provide parks, recreation and cultural services to our residents,” said Mayor Mitch Hippsley. “When given the opportunity later this summer, fall and winter, I hope all residents and organizations participate in the engagement activities so we can better understand the needs in the community.”
| Parks and Recreation Master Plan |
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To proactively plan and manage our recreation, parks and cultural services, the City of Yorkton is working with RC Strategies to develop a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The Master Plan will guide the development, delivery, and continuous improvement of Yorkton’s parks, recreation and cultural programs, services, and facilities. Yorkton is a dynamic city and the needs and demands of the community are shifting. The Master Plan is an important tool helping the municipality manage these critically important public services into the future. The Master Plan will have a horizon of 15 years. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan will be based on a thorough program of research including city demographics, comparable research, utilization information, and community engagement. While there will be some preliminary opportunities for the public to share some top-of-mind thoughts about parks and recreation provision in Yorkton through the summer, the main thrust of community engagement will begin in late summer and early fall. Households in Yorkton will be invited to participate in a survey as will community organizations. The city’s youth will have a chance to share their thoughts as will other key community stakeholders. The Master Plan is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2023. |
| Community Cultural Plan |
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The City of Yorkton is in the process of revisiting and refreshing our Community Cultural Plan, with 50% financial support from SaskCulture. Community Cultural Planning includes a process of inclusive community engagement and decision-making that helps local government identify cultural resources and think strategically about how these resources can help a community achieve its civic goals. Cultural planning is a way of looking at all aspects of a community’s cultural life. Cultural life can be defined many ways - including events, programming and activities offered, places, stories and more. Community Cultural Planning is also about fostering collaboration and partnerships between various cultural organizations and community sectors that promote cultural vitality and economic sustainability. Through this process the Community will come together to identify a vision, policies and actions related to Yorkton’s culture now, and into the future. We are working with Prairie Wild Consulting on developing The Community Cultural Plan. The engagement stage is scheduled for completion in early 2023. |
| Columbia Park Development |
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Using an under-utilized park space, commonly referred to as “The BMX Park” located behind Columbia School, Columbia Park will be developed to include basketball courts and a pump bike track, along with other park amenities, parking and lighting. This project provides an opportunity to provide park amenities for families and youth in an under-serviced area of the City, at the same time provide new recreational opportunities for all residents. Crosby Hanna & Associates is working with us to develop this park. The Columbia Park Development was approved as a part of the 2022 budget with planning and community engagement occurring during the summer and fall of 2022, and construction anticipated in 2023. |
Please watch for information and opportunities for input into all three of these worthwhile community projects and participate to have your say. For more information about any of these projects, please email parksandrec@yorkton.ca.