Wakamow Valley Authority (WVA) is pleased with how 2022 turned out, especially since some well-known programs — like the farmers’ market and community garden — continued to do well.
Donna MacQuarrie-Bye, the new general manager of WVA, spoke about the organization’s activities during city council’s first 2023 budget deliberation meeting on Nov. 22. She had been on the job for just eight days when she presented.
Wakamow Valley Authority is asking for a statutory levy of $346,290 next year, $10,086 higher than this year.
The organization hosted about 20 events this year, ranging from private rentals of buildings to special events, MacQuarrie-Bye said.
Meanwhile, the Mosaic Community Food Farm did well because it produced more than 15,000 pounds of food. That produce was delivered to charities such as Hunger in Moose Jaw, the food bank, the multicultural centre and Riverside Mission.
The food farm has produced more than 68,000 pounds of food since its inception.
This was the second year for the farmers’ market and WVA saw over 900 visitors attend each week, said MacQuarrie-Bye. An average of 36 vendors attended weekly, although the opening day was the largest, with over 55 vendors.
The organization’s special events committee hosted a Christmas craft and bake sale in November, the first time it had done so in two years, she continued. More than 250 people attended, while there were 25 vendors.
The second annual Valley of Lights initiative is an upcoming initiative in the Lorne Calvert Campground. This year there will be a 17-foot moose sculpture covered in lights — it was on display in Regina during Grey Cup week — and a family of rabbits two to three feet in height.
Furthermore, WVA is working with Peacock High School’s welding class to create four star displays that will accompany the candy canes students created last year.
“An extra highlight this year will be the lighting of the Sioux Bridge as you enter into the (Valley of Lights) event,” MacQuarrie-Bye said. “Wakamow Valley has programs scheduled throughout the month of December geared toward enhancing the complete experience of the event.”
The goal is to increase the event’s visitor numbers by 3,000 to 5,000 people by extending the event into January, she continued.
The organization’s future goals include repairing the boardwalk at Plaxton’s Lake, upgrading campground showers, enhancing parking near the Oval to accommodate large events, improving lighting at The Sportsman’s Centre, working on retaining staff and increasing capital costs for the Valley of Lights.
“Being new to this position, our primary focus at the moment is to ensure the Valley of Lights can be a successful event,” MacQuarrie-Bye added. “And we are still diligently looking for sponsorship for the event and expanding our volunteer base and, personally, becoming more familiar with the operations of Wakamow Valley.”
Coun. Crystal Froese commended MacQuarrie-Bye for appearing before council on her eighth day of work and expressed excitement at the leadership she would bring to the organization.
Froese expected the second annual Valley of Lights event to be “pretty spectacular,” especially with the lit bridge that she thought would amaze people, while she knew this was one of Wakamow’s biggest fundraisers.
“This is one of our bigger fundraisers of the year,” agreed MacQuarrie-Bye.
The VIP night occurs Sunday, Nov. 27, while the event kicks off on Thursday, Dec. 1 and runs until Saturday, Jan. 7, she continued. Last year’s budget was $41,000, while this year’s will be slightly higher.
“We’ve also added some walkthrough nights, which we didn’t do last year,” MacQuarrie-Bye added. “And we have increased the number of wagon ride nights, so that will be an exciting addition to see come to fruition.”
It’s good to know that the moose sculpture appeared during the Grey Cup festival, said Coun. Heather Eby. Meanwhile, she thought it was important for residents to know that Wakamow has a year-round disc golf course that enables them to explore “every nook and cranny of the valley.”
“I would not play in the winter,” she joked, “but for winter-loving people, they can.”
The next budget meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 30.
