It was 25 years ago today that the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Sportsplex officially opened to the public. 

The project to build an indoor pool next to the Kinsmen Arena was approved by city council in December of 1994 and opened on Saturday, Sept. 14, 1996. 

City of Moose Jaw Recreation Program Supervisor Shelly Howe remembered how busy they were that day. 

“It was a very, very, very busy week. We had lineups out the door and we reached our max bather load of over 700 people in the pool every night for a week,” Howe recalled. 

Then eight-year-old Jordan Barnes was the first kid to take a trip down the waterslide on that day 25 years ago. 

Since then, the pool has seen many changes. Howe said the programming at the indoor pool has grown. 

“We've had lots of changes over the years, none quite so dramatic as in the last couple of years with the pandemic, but we have changed and added our public programs for people to attend swims as well as our swimming lessons and fitness classes. We're really offering, I think, close to an all-time high of programming,” Howe said. 

On Tuesday, all swimming at the Sportsplex will be free to mark the milestone. There were also be games for kids and scrapbooks on display for events at the Sportsplex from years gone by. 

One piece of memorabilia that is still around is a towel that is written out like a giant cheque from Aug. 16, 1990 for $1,220 to the “Pool/Arena Fund” from the Natatorium Lifeguards. 

“The lifeguard staff at the Natatorium downtown decided that we wanted to contribute, and so those of us on staff that summer donated a day's pay to the fundraising,” explained Howe. 

This interested in booking a free swim time for Tuesday can visit the city’s website or the City of Moose Jaw app. 

City of Moose Jaw Recreation Program Supervisor Shelly Howe shows off a "cheque" that was presented from the Natatorium Lifeguards to help fund the building of the Kinsmen Sportsplex. (Photo by Shawn Slaght)