Every summer we turn our attention to the outdoors, and in Estevan, that means recognizing the not-so-hidden gems that provide city children with exercise of the heart and mind.
The City's playpark program is something to behold as it gives neighbourhood kids an outlet for their creativity, for their energy and for their need to socialize. The program, supervised by park leaders, gives Estevan children an advantage not available in many cities across the country. They have the opportunity to continue learning and to continue growing through summer months that otherwise are often a drag on young people's development.
This programming allows youngsters to engage with a mix of their peers on a daily basis and keeps them in touch with other kids in their neighbourhoods. In some ways, it's a great networking initiative for our young workers of tomorrow.
The five programmed playparks in Estevan ensure activities are available for youth anywhere in the city. There isn't any registration. If a parent wants their child to have a safe spot where he or she can learn, play, engage and have fun, there is one at the playparks. It's a great public service where taxpayers definitely get, to borrow a phrase, bang for their buck.
In our esteemed view, the playparks are perhaps the most important program the City has designed to activate our youth. In a period of downtime for many kids, these parks fill a great void.
Not only do they provide a chance for the youngsters to craft a project in the morning, exercising their creative sides, but they also house the only outdoor public pools in the city. The kids have the opportunity to cool off and play in the water in the afternoon, the envy of every working stiff elsewhere in the Energy City.
The daily playpark programs provide excellent avenues for local kids, but they're also the source of numerous community events throughout the summer.
Churchill is this year's host of the annual pyjama pancake breakfast, with local leaders cooking up pancakes this Friday morning along with City service providers like Estevan Police and Estevan Fire Rescue.
The pancake breakfast will be followed by a movie night outdoors on Aug. 7 at Hillside and an end-of-summer carnival at Rusty Duce. And at the start of the summer Hillside provides the space for the annual Canada Day celebrations, just one more chance for kids young and old to engage with friends and newcomers in a warm and casual atmosphere.
While the playparks are great places to foster young minds and bodies, they also provide an opportunity for the playpark leaders to earn valuable experience. Many of the young women use these summer positions to bridge the summer gap as well, gaining experience working with youth. Many are between studies that will ultimately see them working with children professionally in some capacity, whether as teachers or social workers.
The playparks are a place to gather. They are a place to find friends and make connections, a place to unwind and to engage.
They are a jewel of public service, and we are all happy to live in a city that puts such a high emphasis on keeping our youth active.
