Sunday dawned cold and wet, but the Operun went ahead as planned with enthusiasm. Hosted by the Historic Battleford Lions Club, the event was in support of the refurbishment of Battleford's Opera House.
There were 88 registrants with 59 showing up to brave the cold and run or walk.
"There were a lot of smiling but shivering faces and I would like to think it was because they had a good time and not just that they survived that last hill," said organizer Suzanne Reid.
The Operun started on the street in front of Town Hall, where the Opera House is located. The route passed historical Battleford buildings like the Court of Queen’s Bench, the post office, the Fred Light Museum and Fort Battleford National Historic site. There was also a scenic portion along the river.
Participants could choose to run or walk 10 kilometres or five kilometres or run a half marathon. A kids’ two-kilometre run also took place.
Results Canada provided each runner with a chip timer so their race time could be recorded. Results are posted online at www.theoperun.com, on Facebook and on the Running Room website.
"Aside from the hardiness of our participants, the volunteers really brought home to me the importance of giving back to your community," said Reid.
She also said it was great to see youth excited about the community project.
"It was great that we received help from the youth in our community. The air cadets squadron from Battleford helped with set up. The Comp in Action group from NBCHS and the kids from Battleford Central School manned water stations. The Battlefords Highland Dancing Association performed for the participants en route and, when not performing, handed out high fives," she said. "I think too often families get busy running to different things and giving back to our community gets lost on the list of priorities."
How much was raised hasn't been tallied yet, said Reid, but the Lions are satisfied with the response, given that it was the first year for the Operun.
"The overwhelming response from participants and volunteers alike was that we should do it again next year," she said.
As part of the fundraiser, souvenir t-shirts were made available to Operun walkers and runners and souvenir prints were also made available. They featured a design made specially for the Opera House project by artist Dean Bauche, and they are available at the Operun website, said Reid.
Opening ceremonies were held prior to the run, which included remarks from Mayor Derek Mahon. He thanked the Lions for taking on the event, saying he looked forward to many more. The Opera House is a big project, he said, and there will be more fundraising needed.
In order to return the Opera House to use, work already done has included replacing the roof and upper floor windows and removing and repainting the original pressed metal ceiling as well as stripping out the interior and insulating.
"Over the years, there have been a number of dollars spent on this facility, in the neighbourhood of about $1.7 million to date. In the last year there's been $600,000 spent on the facility, as you drive by on the street you'd never know that," he said.
He explained there has been a new heating system installed to serve the main floor and the Opera House and a tender was recently awarded for the replacement of the ground floor windows.
A significant amount of the work has been funded by the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Community Development Corporation, Mahon added. That amount is in excess of $700,000.
He also said that during a recent tour of the Opera House by Eric Paetkau, the conductor of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and Mark Turner, executive director, hosted by Mahon and local music educator, mezzo soprano and Opera Board member Lisa Hornung, the space was described as an "acoustic gem in Saskatchewan."
Bringing greetings from the City of North Battleford, councillor Ryan Bater said he first saw the Opera House about 13 years ago when he was doing some work around Town Hall. He was told about it and was allowed to go up and take a look. Until that time, he said, he didn't even know it existed. At the time, he said, he thought, "This has to be the best kept secret in the Battlefords."
He thanked the Lions and the participants for supporting the project.
"There's a lot of history in that Opera House," said Bater, "and there's going to be a lot more history made."
Leading the group in O Canada was Lion Elsie Boultin, who remembered singing on the stage of the Opera House prior to the fire that caused it to be closed.
The Opera House accommodated school plays, graduations, dances, live theatre, musical talent nights, Christmas concerts and more from 1912 to 1965 when it was closed after a fire.
It sounds like the Lions intend to host another Operun.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Reid, “and I can’t wait until next year!
