Released on July 15, 2010
Saskatchewan's First New Provincial Park Campground in More Than 20 Years
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park can now handle more campers.
Today, the brand new, 66 campsite, Trails End campground with electrical service officially opened in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. The Trails End campground also has playground equipment, stand-alone bathrooms with flush toilets and a service centre housing showers and washroom facilities.
Twenty-five of the sites are first-come, first-served and are included in the provincial park's 14-night-maximum stay program; 41 are included in the reserve-a-site program - two of those campsites, which are close to the service centre, are handicap accessible.
It is the first new campground to open in a provincial park in more than 20 years.
The expansion to the park's Shady Lane campground is also complete; adding another 10 campsites with 30-amp electrical service to the park. The new sites in the Shady Lane campground are first-come, first-served and there is no length-of-stay limit.
"These campsites are a great addition to our provincial park system," Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Bill Hutchinson said. "They are part of our commitment to make across-the-board improvements to our provincial parks. This on-going project has been proceeding well and our park visitors are being offered even more opportunities for a memorable recreational experience."
The additional campsites and the other park upgrades are welcomed by the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association of Saskatchewan.
"Tourism and tourism-related industries are important in Saskatchewan," Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association of Saskatchewan President Dan Christakos said. "Additional campsites, along with the upgrades that have been going on in our provincial parks, make Saskatchewan an attractive place for tourists. That means more money coming into our economy and more jobs in the industry."
Adding more campsites to Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is among the many investments visitors to our provincial parks will see. Since 2008, government has spent more than $16.2 million to improve the facilities and infrastructure in our provincial parks, including adding electrical service to 1,000 campsites. This year campers will be able to use 600 of those sites. Along with adding and upgrading electrical service, the ministry is also replacing or upgrading some service centres, boat launches, potable water systems and is replacing some picnic tables and barbeques.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Art Jones
Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3506
Email: art.jones@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-550-5927
Dan Christakos
Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association of Saskat
Prince Albert
Phone: 306-763-1888
Email: happyrv@sasktel.net