PREECEVILLE — Owen Draper of Preeceville had a once-in-a-lifetime wilderness experience when he received the opportunity to attend Hannin Creek Educational Facility at Candle Lake.
Draper, who is a SWF Preeceville branch member, had composed and submitted a letter with the reasons why he loves the outdoors, wildlife, and reasons why he should be selected for the all-boys camp. He was excited to be chosen and attended the camp Aug. 12-16 along with 19 other wildlife campers from across the province.
“It was a great experience,” said Owen Draper. “We did a lot of activities that featured canoeing, archery, fishing, and even had the opportunity to use the gun range. We learned about plants, the different types that can be eaten. There was a conservation trailer that we saw numerous wildlife mounts and information on them. I even had the opportunity to go fishing and caught four fish and learned about the different species of fish, including the white fish. We also learned how to go into the bush, what we could use for a fire, and learned how to start a fire. I made lifelong friends and learned a lot at the camp,” he said.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) opened the expanded Hannin Creek Educational Facility at Candle Lake on Sept. 8, 2014.
“The Hannin Creek facility and property have provided rich learning experiences for many decades. This partnership between Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation ensures that education and conservation will continue here for many years to come,” says Dr. Larry Rosia, Saskatchewan Polytechnic president and CEO.
“The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation is honoured to be partnering with Saskatchewan Polytechnic in the Hannin Creek Educational Facility and participating in this historic dedication,” said David Pezderic, SWF president. “The securement and enhancement of these facilities guarantee Saskatchewan’s continuing excellence in outdoor education for this and future generations to enjoy."
Since acquiring the Hannin Creek Educational Facility from the Kelsey Alumni Association, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the SWF have been working to renovate and expand the site to continue providing leading applied learning opportunities for Saskatchewan Polytechnic students in forestry, fisheries, wildlife, conservation law, recreation and tourism management, and environmental, civil, and water resources engineering technologies programs.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic currently provides approximately 1,200 training days at the facility for its programming in the School of Hospitality and Tourism and the School of Natural Resources and Built Environment. The site is also used for Saskatchewan Co-operative Ltd. summer leadership camps, SWF conservation camps, and various meetings, retreats, and workshops. The facility is ideal for providing hands-on applied learning to Saskatchewan Polytechnic students. It is on land that is leased from the Ministry of Environment, situated along Hannin Creek, an upland riparian waterway that drains into Candle Lake, located within the lands of the First Nations signatory to Treaty 6 and a provincial game preserve.
There is an abundance of wildlife, plants, and forestry activities that remain relatively undisturbed by cottagers and recreational users. This allows for the best situation for students to learn in the environment that they will experience in their chosen careers.
