The conversation about the future of programs delivered through the Parks and Recreation department was opened to the public in a Vital Community Conversation, organized through the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation’s project.
Moose Jaw was chosen as one of 50 communities to host their own forum, which took place the evening of Mar. 21, and the goal was to engage the public on what matters most to the city in terms of parks and recreation opportunities in the future.
One of the things brought to the event was the need for more specific programming for both disabled persons and youth in the city.
“One of the ones that we came across was for persons with disability; more programming, more access to Parks and Rec and just in the community itself,” said Steven Hall from Parks and Recreation at the city.
Sarah Wiens, a member of the Youth Advisory Committee, agreed with the sentiment when asked what she thought was important to have in Moose Jaw.
“I think we need to provide a little bit more for the youth in the community, different options to get them involved, to be able to speak up about what they feel is important,” said Wiens. “There needs to be more opportunities for the youth to be able to express their opinion on what needs to be going on in the city.”
Another point made was the need for more accessibility options for programs and centers, specifically for youth looking to be a part of afterschool programs at various schools and even at Yara Centre.
“There’s no bus route that can go there, there’s no walking path that leads from downtown to there, so after school they can’t walk down to Yara Centre, so that's a problem,” said Angela Scidmore, of the Yara Centre. “We have a great afterschool program but they can’t get there so it's not utilized as much as it should be, so if they can’t get there it would be better.”
Derek Blais, director of Parks and Recreation, is looking forward to the opportunity to hear from the community directly.
“Anytime we have the opportunity to get feedback from the community and from the residents who use your services, it’s very important and something we take seriously. I think the opportunity provided through this program is really going to benefit us,” said Blais. “I’d like to see where the community is at in regards to infrastructure, in regards to programs, in regards to our service delivery, what areas of Parks and Recreation need to be improved and what’s going really well right now. I’m really looking forward to that.”
The South Central Regional Partnership (SCRIP) and the YMCA of Moose Jaw have also been chosen to host similar community conversations, with the event from the YMCA taking place on Mar. 31 at 1pm at the YMCA Centre.
Recreation Services City Manager Scott Osmachenko noted that if more people would like to provide feedback, it is not too late.
“If anyone still wants to participate by visiting the Moose Jaw website, find the link, and still give their input on the 8 questions, which is what we’re kind of discussing tonight,” said Osmachenki. “It’s really informal, whatever they basically want to talk about is important. What community means to you is what we’re looking for, so there’s no right or wrong answer so it can be very short or very elaborate.”
