At a ceremony on the morning of Friday, July 17th, members of the provincial government gathered with park staff and contractors to celebrate the grand opening of the new pool at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park.

Minister for Parks, Culture, and Sport, Gene Makowsky, says that Buffalo Pound is a very popular park and the pool one of its most visited amenities. He believes that especially during the pandemic, providing safe and fun activities is something that the government should and is prioritizing.

"It's so important to keep the assets we have in our parks updated and keep people wanting to visit our parks...[the pool] will be an asset to the park and be able to create memories for many families for decades to come."

Makowsky says that Moose Jaw's MLA's played an important part in restoring the pool to its former glory.

"They definitely kept me informed of how important this pool is to the community," he said with a smile.

Greg Lawrence, member for Moose Jaw - Wakamow, says that many of his constituents reached out to him via social media about how much they valued the pool. 

"We've been watching its progress and letting people know that it's going to open as soon as it does."

Warren Michelson, MLA for Moose Jaw - North, notes that it's all a part of the job.

"With Buffalo Pound being just twenty minutes from Moose Jaw it's just a part of serving the people of Moose Jaw...Anything that is good for Buffalo Pound is gonna be a benefit for Moose Jaw."

At a cost of 2.4 million dollars, the new pool is all a part of the Government of Saskatchewan's plan to invest $10 million into the province's parks.