Brand New Pool Opens At Buffalo Pound Provincial Park

Released on July 17, 2020

The brand new pool at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is now open and welcoming visitors.

“The Government of Saskatchewan is excited to announce the opening of the new Buffalo Pound Provincial Park Pool,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Gene Makowsky said.  “The original pool opened in 1972 and was a key attraction for park visitors and therefore, re-development was a priority for this government.”

The new swimming pool was designed to meet the needs of a wide range of users.  The facility uses universal design principles and includes a sloped accessible entry for young children or anyone with mobility concerns.  Hours of operation will be daily from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. until after the September long weekend.

There are a variety of safety protocols that will be in place this year due to COVID-19 when visitors make their way to the new pool, such as:

• Decreased capacity at any one time.  To ensure fair access, the facility has implemented a turnover system whereby all pool users will be asked to leave after a set block of time for cleaning and disinfecting.  Users can then choose to leave, or re-enter the line-up to be admitted once again, re-payment will not be required.
• No swimming lessons or programming, including lane swimming.  With the cancellation of swimming lessons, programming and lane swimming, the pool will be open for longer public swim times to allow for more visitors.
• Physical distancing rules will be in effect.  Floor indicators will assist visitors where to stand while in line to pay and barriers will protect visitors and pool staff during any necessary contact.
• Specific entry and exit directional signage protocols will be in effect.
• Pool staff will provide reminders to visitors throughout the day about the requirement for physical distancing.

Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is located 20 minutes northeast of Moose Jaw and offers a balanced blend of nature and recreational opportunities.  This park offers excellent hiking and biking trails, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

Visitors to this park can also enjoy migrant waterfowl viewing at Nicolle Flats Interpretive Area and on the Marsh Boardwalk.  Campsites in the park will remain open until the end of September this year and can be reserved online.  With the pool and camping accessible into the fall, Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is a great place for visitors to extend their summer.

Additional information, including common questions and answers about the 2020 camping season, can be found at https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/places-to-go/provincial-parks/Announcements or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/saskparks/.  

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For more information, contact:

Jalaine Thibault
Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-529-4087
Email: jalaine.thibault@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-529-4087