There's plenty to see, do and celebrate without ever leaving Saskatchewan's borders and the province wants to remind residents of that fact.
July 14 to 20 is Saskatchewan Parks Week and all are invited to experience what the province has to offer through a diverse range of park programs from geo-caching, astronomy, canoeing, hiking and camping while protecting the natural, cultural and historical landscape of our province.
"Parks are key to our strong quality of life here in Saskatchewan," says Minister responsible for Parks, Culture and Sport Kevin Doherty. "One of the advantages of our growing province is the ability to invest in our provincial parks. I encourage everyone to check out the upgrades and new facilities and celebrate our fantastic parks."
This is a special year for Saskatchewan's provincial parks as three provincial parks will celebrate milestone anniversaries. Sask-atchewan Landing and Douglas Provincial Parks, located on Lake Diefenbaker, will each celebrate 40 years. Buffalo Pound Provincial Park, located 20 minutes northeast of Moose Jaw, will be turning 50.
Additional park celebrations mean that park visitors can enjoy programs like kite-making, guided nature hikes and the musical troupe Saskatchewan Express which will be touring throughout the parks. A full events calendar can be found on www.saskparks.net.
Doherty joins with parks ministers across Canada to designate Saturday, July 20 as Canada's Parks Day. This is an annual event where thousands of people participate in fun, educational, family-oriented events in parks and historic sites across the country. Many activities highlight the important role that parks play in maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems, protecting critical habitat for species-at-risk and contributing to human health and well-being.