Kinsmen updates York Lake playground

A new playground at York Lake Regional Park is capturing the imagination of kids and adults thanks to the support of 3 local businesses and the Yorkton Kinsmen.

The playground comes at a cost of nearly $130,000 when all said and done.  “There are quite literally alot of pieces to put together” Trost says. By pieces, he means more than a semi-full of equipment. The removal of an old playground, ground work, securing sponsorship, choosing a design, and actually building the structure are all things that have been done over the last two years. Many people have volunteered to get the project off the ground and we are close to finishing it off. “We had over a dozen volunteers lined up for four days to piece the structure together. They’ll have fun building it.”

The trickiest piece to the playground puzzle was securing the funding for the playground.  A number of businesses in the community of Yorkton stepped up to help. Trost says that the playground simply would not have happened with out the Kinsmen Club of Yorkton. They were the original sponsors of the park area back in the 1970’s and have since renewed that support. “They got our fundraising campaign started with a $50,000 donation in the fall of 2016. That allowed us to actually purchase the equipment.

Since then Zapshalla Financial donated $15,000, Yorkton Concrete is doing $15,000 of cement work and product, Potzus Construction is doing $10,000 of landscaping and ISC is providing the signage for the park.”

For Trost it’s a real reminder about the power of community. “These businesses and the Kinsmen Club have nothing to gain by donating to our park. These business owners do it because they want to give back to the community that supports them. They do it because they want to ensure Yorkton continues to be a great place for kids and their families.” Kin Point will be an area for citizens and visitors to enjoy for many years into the future. “These businesses and the Kinsmen foundation really are leaving a legacy where children can play, enjoy the outdoors and socialize” Trost concludes.

York Lake Regional Park is open for visitors although the final landscaping for the playground won’t be completed until around the third week of May.