WEYBURN - Staff at Weyburn’s new Credit Union Spark Centre are busily working to finalize the facility’s programs and systems to be ready for the grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 16, with a full slate of activities and events throughout the day.
The staff have been doing a number of soft opening events to work out any bugs or issues with the facilities prior to the grand opening, and to figure out what needs to be adjusted.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Andrew Crowe, leisure services director for the City of Weyburn. He noted there have been delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing some materials and supplies to be delayed for use in the new culture and recreation centre.
“We’re thrilled to finally open our doors to the public. This is truly a state-of-the-art facility that you do not see in other cities our size, so we’re really lucky to have it,” said Crowe, following a media tour of the facility. “We’re excited, and the user groups that have seen it are excited to get in here and get using it. We just need to wait a couple more weeks until we can finally open the doors to the community.”
The grand opening activities and ceremonies will be held alongside a day-long Culture Days set of activities to be held throughout the building to make for a full day at the centre. There will be a $2 admission for the entire day, and this will give people access to all activities being held in the centre.
The day kicks off with the ribbon cutting and words of welcome at 9 a.m., and the schedule is full right until 9 p.m., with the day to end with a concert by Karissa Hoffart on the Mainil sports field at 6:30 p.m.
People will be invited to bring their blankets and watch the concert on the turf of the indoor sports field, as her stage will be set up at one end. There will be limited seating for seniors available on the upper level, said Ryan Dale, the leisure services manager for the Spark Centre.
“It’s a hybrid with Culture Days activities as well as our opening, so it’s really a unique event of our own,” said Dale, noting that a number of the user groups are stepping up to do demos on opening day, as well as offering programs that will go on through the fall and winter.
The Spark Centre opening activities will include a children physical literacy program from 10-11 a.m.; a minor soccer demo at 10:30 a.m.; play and climb fun in the new MNP play area from 10 a.m. to noon, 1-3 p.m. and 4-6 p.m.; simulator demos from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and again at 4 p.m.; a lacrosse demo from noon to 1 p.m.; a demo by Sask Rugby from 1:30 to 3 p.m; youth physical literacy program for 9-13 year-olds from 2:30 to 3:30; a Weyburn Minor Football demo at 3:30; and the mini-gym on the second level will be open for shoot a round from 4-6 p.m.
The programs offered by Sask Rugby and the youth physical literacy program will both need preregistration, with registration to open on Oct. 11, closing on Oct. 15.
For Culture Days, there is a full slate of demos and activities being offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There will be community mural painting, a Weyburn wood carvers demo, a demo and display by the Crocus Quilters; pottery studio demos; Ukrainian egg-painting demo; a beading demo and display by Metis Nation Local 87; the Weyburn Rotary Club will have a display for their silent auction and jewelry sale; the Weyburn Public Library will have maker space kits on display; there will be cultural food sampling of Metis, German and Filipino foods; and there will be Ukrainian dancing performing from noon to 1:30 p.m.
During the day, Lowbrow BBQ will have their food truck in the parking lot offering food to visitors, and if the weather permits, picnic tables will be set up outside as well, said Dale.
“We’re extremely excited about these new opportunities,” he added, noting that not only is the Spark Centre offering many new programs, but they are able to provide them with City staff and programmers. This includes a new before and after-school program, youth programs, and drop-in programs, such as for the MNP play area, family turf time, children’s turf time and adult turf time (on the new sports field), and programs in the mini-gym upstairs. The 220-metre walking track will be open on a drop-in basis, and the art gallery is always open free of charge for anyone to visit.
The centre will be accepting bookings for birthday parties, private and corporate events, and rentals of facilities, such as the simulators and mini-gym.
There is an extensive schedule of rates for accessing the Spark Centre and its programs, and they are available to see on the City of Weyburn’s website, along with a full explanation for how the rates are set up for programming, drop-in or rentals.
