Buffalo Pound Provincial Park to Have Exciting Upgrades

Buffalo Pound Provincial Park (Saskatchewan) receives new and exciting facilities for visitors to enjoy. The new establishments include a new visitor center, new day-use pavilions, new equipment shed for maintenance use, and changes to handicap accessibility around the park.

The cost of the projects will be more than CA$2 million, with the investment from the Saskatchewan government, according to a report.

The new pavilions for the day-use and visitor center have been under construction since last year’s end of the summer. They are expected to be completed by early July, hoping they’ll be ready for the public this summer.

The new visitor center will be located where the old Ski Chalet building is and will feature a multi-purpose meeting area, space for an interpretive exhibit, and small food and beverage service.

The idea is that this can become a hub for bikers, hikers, and people looking for an adventure outdoors. The renovations are close to completion. However, there will still be site work going on once complete.

It could also take several months for the interpretive exhibit to be fully operational. Another equipment shed was also mentioned, though it will be unavailable for the public as it will be just a maintenance shed.

The Buffalo Pound will have two pavilions for day use. One will be a larger pavilion, and the other will be a smaller satellite pavilion close to the bigger one. These pavilions accommodate large group gatherings, family get-togethers, weddings, or market gardens.

With the increase in day-use visitation around urban areas, the hope is that these facilities will provide a place to gather with your family and rest while adventuring the park. Three other parks are also getting new pavilions, and they are all nearing completion.

Accessibility is a crucial aspect to think about when designing new facilities in parks. The Parks Division plans to ensure that the park has easy access for all visitors.

This work will start with pathway work in core areas, new hard surface picnic benches, and access to the pavilion. It’s essential to the staff and operators of Buffalo Pound that everyone can come and enjoy the park without worrying about how accessible it will be.

“At our parks, we’ve really put an emphasis on improving access for park visitors with physical challenges. All of our major facilities we are providing very free access to. Part of this work is going to be some hard surface pathway work in the core area, along with the development of a couple of hard surface picnic sights and as well as access to the pavilion. I think that improving accessibility to facilities in and around the parks is an important priority, and it ensures that all our park visitors can enjoy the outdoors and get out to enjoy our parks,” said Byron Davis, executive director of the Parks Division, when asked about handicap accessibility.

The government continues to invest in our parks, and visitation numbers have hit all-time highs post COVID-19. The array of new and upgraded facilities coming to Buffalo Pound will aid in your adventures in our Provincial Parks.

This article originally appeared on Moose Jaw Today.