There are some major projects slated for Yorkton three of which will be great for the community, albeit each in a different fashion.
In last week's edition of Yorkton This Week there was a story on a new interpretative centre which would promote agriculture and be a major tourist attraction in the process.
The new Western Canadian Crop Technology Interpretive Centre is planned to be a 6,000 square-foot facility containing interactive displays on agricultural technology and sustainability. It is to be built on city-owned land adjacent to the visitor centre south of Yorkton within about two and a half years.
Anything which enhances tourism is a positive, as Tourism Yorkton president Neil Thom pointed out to Yorkton Council at its regular meeting Jan. 9.
"According to the Tourism Saskatchewan database, Yorkton has over 1300 people who are employed in Tourism related industries, 93 tourism businesses and 21 events. Combine that with $37 million spent in the area and tourism plays an important role in the city's economy," he said.
In terms of local health, there is a study under way to determine what is required in the years ahead in terms of health care facilities in the city.
It was back in April of 2011, the planning process was kicked off with the annual Health Foundation Radioathon.
"That we are planning for a new facility is great news for this region," said Ross Fisher, Executive Director with the Health Foundation. However, the government will not fund a conceptual plan; the community will have to raise the funds for it. A conceptual plan will have a cost of approximately $180,000.
"It is very important to have a strong, well funded conceptual plan. We are on the path to a new regional hospital, but when a new hospital will be built, where it will be built, what services it will provide and what the configuration of the new hospital will be has yet to be decided. That is part of the purpose of the conceptual plan."
Fisher said having a plan will be critical because a hospital is built for the future.
"You're not building it for today, but for 10-years out, for 25-years-out," he said, adding reasonably a new hospital will e function for 50 years. " It's important to get this conceptual plan right."
Whether the work leads to a new hospital, or upgrades to the existing facility remain to be seen, but the work should ensure Yorkton remains an important regional health care centre serving east central Saskatchewan for years to come.
Then there is the work being carried out to build a new trades and technology centre for Parkland College.
In his year-end interview with YTW, local MLA Greg Ottenbreit said the college addition is a priority for him in 2012.
"Right now my main focus is on the college," he said. "I want to see it come to fruition."
Ottenbreit said the college expansion is needed so the facility can remain in a position to respond to the changing needs of area business as it expands and grows.
"We need a project in place," he said, reiterating he'll remain a vocal advocate of the centre to receive provincial dollars.
"There's no doubt we needs a trades and technology centre here in Yorkton," he said.
The ability to provide greater educational; opportunities locally and meet local employer demands is important moving forward.
However, for all three projects to move forward, each will need to raise millions of dollars for aspects of the construction, equipment and operations of the facilities which will not be covered by provincial or federal dollars.
The fundraising work ahead of proponents of all three projects is massive, and will face the additional challenge of trying to raise money at the same time as the other projects. The community will be pressured to support all three, yet each is important in its own way to the fabric of our community.
Hopefully the needed dollars can be found to ensure all three projects move forward to enhance Yorkton's future.
