The Yorkton Community Clubhouse is beginning to take shape. The change room and washroom facility at Century Field has been in the works since 2009, and construction has finally begun.
Jason Farrell with Yorkton Minor Football explains that the need for the facility began as Yorkton Minor Football began building its programs. The program now has 400 kids, and often hosts four games each Saturday during football season, as well as the Friday Night Lights event that brings over 2,000 people out to the evening games. That success has meant space has become an issue, whether that means changing space for teams or bathrooms for fans.
Minor football might have been the impetus for the building, Farrell says that it’s a project for the entire community, and everyone who uses Century Field will be able to take advantage of it. He points to track and field programs and local soccer programs as also being big beneficiaries of the facility, but says it’s there for anyone who uses Century Field.
“There are a lot of good things happening that required a little bit of investment from the community to accommodate what’s already here, to build for the future and to attract more interest in the respective programs.”
Track and field is expected to be the first program to use the facility, as the plans are to see it opened when Yorkton hosts a provincial track and field meet in June.
The plans for the project have changed dramatically from when it was first proposed. The biggest difference is sheer size, with the facility being much bigger than initial designs. Farrell says that going bigger made sense because it can accommodate more functions. It is also fully on Good Spirit School Division property, as a site survey indicated that the initial plan on the north end would cause issues with existing utilities. The changes in design mean the facility is unique within the province. Farrell compares it to the Gallagher Centre, and says that their goal is to have another facility that is a showcase for the city.
“It’s going to be a permanent fixture in the recreational landscape of Yorkton for many years to come.”
The budget on the project $600,000. Farrell says that it was designed to meet the needs of a growing community and growing sports programs within it.
“If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right. If we’re going to build something to be proud of, let’s be really proud of it.”
The website for the project is www.communityhero.ca, and Farrell says that he believes the people who are helping to build the facility are heroes within the community.
