Upgrades are on their way to four Saskatchewan campgrounds this summer as water and electrical systems will be improved.
The Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park will receive upgrades to its potable water system while three other campgrounds will see improvements to their electrical systems.
Riverside, Nighthawks and Bearpaw campgrounds will see the improvements later this summer, said a news release from the Saskatchewan government, with work to be done for the 2015 season.
Located roughly 750 kilometers from Creighton, the upgrades at Saskatchewan Landing will offer more opportunities for local campers.
“In order to use the new regional water supply, the existing potable water storage and distribution systems within the park require significant upgrading,” read the news release. “This system serves the core area of Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park, providing water to approximately 339 campsites and various park facilities.”
The upgraded water system will serve safe drinking water, which the release states is “a high priority for this government.”“This project and the campsite electrical improvements will ensure the park remains a great vacation destination for visitors well into the future,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Mark Docherty was quoted.Miner’s Construction Co. Ltd. from Saskatoon has been contracted to complete the potable water project. Upcoming work will include construction of a pump house treatment building over an existing concrete reservoir, installation of two above ground steel storage tanks, treatment of the water supply pipeline along with associated site works and related mechanical and electrical systems.
The water system upgrade is slated to be completed in time for the 2015 summer camping season and the total project cost will be more than $1 million.
Also scheduled for improvements this year, 67 non-electric campsites in Riverside and Nighthawk Campgrounds will receive electrical service and 47 campsites in Bearpaw Campground will have their service upgraded. This electrical work is scheduled to begin in late August and will continue until late fall of this year.
Funding
Over the past seven years, the Saskatchewan government has provided approximately 1,400 campsites with new electrical service and approximately 900 existing
electrical campsites have been upgraded to meet current code requirements and modern recreational vehicle standards.
In 2013, the provincial park system set a
record 3.7 million visits. Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park recorded 198,486 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.
