SASKATOON — Brightsand Lake Regional Park was named 2015 Park of the Yewar by the Regional Parks of Saskatchewan organization at a spring meeting and awards banquet april 10 at the Travelodge in Saskatoon.
It’s not the first time the park has earned the award, and its many amenities are described here by the Brigtsand Lake Regional Park board members.
Brightsand Lake Regional Park is truly a rustic park situated on Brightsand Lake in the middle of nowhere. It is 27 kilometres to the nearest town, St. Walburg.
But it has a lot to offer, including15 kilometres of hiking trails, showcasing a diverse ecosystem of old growth boreal forest, aspen parkland and wetlands which include bogs, muskeg and lakefront marsh. Many geological points of interest are well marked, giving hikers a rare firsthand look at features such as eskers, kames and push bank ridges. Birds, wildlife and flora abound along these trails.
The scenery is stunning. Campers are situated on spacious campsites nestled into their own piece of forest and many have their own beach area. A sunrise or sunset at the lake is something to behold. And then, there is the mile-long sandy beach. Where better to soak up the sun, play beach sports with family and friends, launch your boat or just relax and admire our crystal clear water? This year they even caught fish!
One of the greatest drawing factors of Brightsand is that it is away from the action and hustle and bustle of a major centre. Coming to the park means nature, peace, quiet and an enjoyment of the natural beauty around you.
When regional parks were developed, apparently it was done so to provide recreation for the camping public. No doubt all parks do this. However, Brightsand has a very unique feature, that feature being that 90 per cent of its campsites are lakefront. The park was designed with the campers being the major focus. Cabin owners do not have lakefront priority. Each year the beach becomes busier and busier. The long weekends, especially August and September last year, had the beach overflowing with people, boats and all sorts of beach activities.
Over the last few years major improvements have been made within the park. In addition to updating the administrative works of the park – current manuals, camping rules and regulations, new office equipment, etc. – there has been a focus on improved maintenance.
New equipment has been purchased including a new JD 4720 tractor with attachments – front-end loader, pallet fork, rear blade, landscape rake, tine grapple and finishing mower. This year a new F150 Ford half ton for the park manager, a new John Deere gator and a new John Deere zero turn mower are also on site.
Last year a 40 by 60 foot metal post shed to house the equipment was built. This year staff cleaned the compound area of unwanted trees and debris and placed a new chain link fence around it. This step has improved the aesthetics of this area immensely.
Last year power was installed to six of the group sites, bringing 30 amp power to 18 camping units. In the fall, ground improvements to 13 of the premium sites resulted in an increase of camping sites in that area to 18. In November, phase two of the plan was implemented with 30 amp power being added to each site in an area that previously had no power, and in the spring SaskPower will complete the hookup so that, when the park opens, these new power sites will be ready for use.
Improvements have been made to the boat launch, a new boat dock purchased and a new swimming dock added. Commitment to road improvements meant adding calcium chloride to the main access road and building up the road leading to the RV sewage disposal site. This is a process done yearly and this year they calciumed the roads to each one of the subdivisions.
The appearance of the concession has been improved by adding a new tin roof, tinning the exterior and adding new windows and doors. This year new equipment has also been added – two new coolers and a new deep fryer for the kitchen staff.
This year six more toilets for the camping public were added. All of these are very nicely finished on the inside with FRP walls, lino on the floors and running water low-flow toilets. The camping public now has all new toilets situated throughout the park, 11 in total. It is the current board’s position to maintain what has been achieved over the last few years and to proceed with continued improvements as outlined in their five-year plan.
Brightsand Lake Regional Park proves to be valuable to the surrounding community. The concession serves as a gathering place for the locals. As for the town of St. Walburg, the park itself buys many supplies from the local dealers, such as Home Hardware. Cabin owners add to the local economy. Camping occupancy runs at about 90 per cent for the season and many of these campers support the local town, not only the businesses but the activities as well such as the local fair in St. Walburg with its chuckwagon races and, of course, the famous Wild Blueberry Festival in August. The park has a returning group of campers who book that weekend each year just to be a part of this festival.
It is important that, as a park, improvements continue to be made and that the park provides a valuable service to surrounding communities. There is, however, a feature as important — and maybe more so — and that is a sense of community. In the last few years staff and administration have worked hard to promote and achieve that. In the last two year,s campers have helped with the installation of power to their sites and the cleanup of the compound area. They are very willing to help when called upon as they view the park as their home away from home. Many of the seasonal campers have been coming for 10 years or more. On Canada Day cabin owners provide hours of volunteer help and campers provide the entertainment. Canada Day has become very popular within the park. Children have a wonderful day; the beach is lined with people all day long and the fireworks at night are second to none. The locals come from miles around to enjoy the day, eat good food and enjoy the spectacular display.
One set of cabin owners makes daily tours of the park, not just once a day but multiple times. They visit with all of the campers and are the best eyes and ears of the activity within the park and thus the best security system one could wish to have.
Another feature that is greatly appreciated by campers and cabin owners alike is that golfing rates are very reasonable. You can golf for as many rounds as you want in a day for $9. There is no waiting, no tee times; the scenery is beautiful, wildlife visits the course regularly and it is a great course for the whole family, no stress, no pressure.
Campers return year after year; the occupancy rate for the season is about 90 per cent. Patrons believe in the vision. That sense of ownership, belonging, sense of safety and security and being a family is what truly makes a park a park. Brightsand is an excellent example of this.
There is no better testament as to what and who Brightsand really is than the statement made by one of the patrons: “Brightsand is the best kept secret in the world.” He went on to add, “Let’s keep it that way.”
It is peaceful, quiet, safe, a great place to raise a family and best of all miles from the hustle and bustle of urban living. The park and its board may be rural, it may be rustic and it may not have the greatest roads in the world but the campers and cabin owners love it that way. It is truly who they are.
