$2.6 million improvements planned for Blackstrap

A “start” is the best way to categorize the two new agreements between the provincial government and private investors that would bring $2.6 million worth of improvements to Blackstrap Provincial Park, said a leader with the Dundurn Rural Municipality.

“There is a long ways to go yet,” said Fred Wilson, Reeve of the RM of Dundurn. “The Park itself is planning some more campsites and that is an important part of it too, but the marina is a good move because that will take quite a bit of pressure off their highway on the weekend with everybody having to bring their boat down and then take it back home again. The boat launch will help out quite a bit too.”

The Saskatchewan Parks, Culture and Sport Ministry reached the multi-million dollar agreement Nov. 15 with Blackstrap Marina Corp and Waterfront Development Ltd. to develop and operate a 190 slip inland marina at the Park that will offer multi-year, annual and daily slip rentals to the public as well as a marine fuel service, boat launch and vehicle and trailer parking as well as a new 12 fully-furnished year-round unit rental accommodation cabin project.

In addition to these agreements, the Parks, Culture and Sport Ministry announced they are in the planning stages of a new serviced campground for Blackstrap Provincial Park with design and development to occur over the next two years.

Lin Gallagher, deputy minister for Saskatchewan Parks, Culture and Sport, said the ministry began this project by entering into some public and stakeholder consultations as well as incorporating some of their own ideas on what would be appropriate for renewing Blackstrap and enhancing recreational opportunities in the area.

“Then coming from there… some unsolicited interest came in to us for proposals for different initiatives in the area of the Park and within the Park,” said Gallagher. “What we did then is we had a RFP (public request for proposals), so we formally solicited some detailed proposals for commercial or private parties and…we received two formal proposals from both of the companies that we’re working with now.”

Gallagher said the agreements entered into are for 25 years with the two companies responsible for paying the government for the lease along with all the costs of constructing and operating the facility. She said the marina developers are presently undertaking geo-technical and soil samples before they put in their construction and detail designs while working to obtain all federal and provincial regulatory approvals.

“What we understand from them is that they hope to be through all of that for spring of 2014 and they’re hoping to open in July of 2015 or earlier if possible,” she said. “For the rental cabins…they’re presently working on the detailed design plans for the cabins along with any supporting infrastructure requirements and plans and then they also have numerous regulatory approvals that they have to acquire and we need to ensure that they do that before they start work.

“They’re anticipating pouring foundations for all the cabins in the spring of 2014 with the cabins completed and ready for occupancy in the fall of 2014.”

To read more please see the December 2 print edition of The Davidson Leader.