The RM of Wallace-Woodward partners with the Town of Virden each year to boost tourism in their area through their Prairie Gateway Tourism incentive.
Prairie Gateway Tourism is a collaborative effort to draw folks and families from across the province and beyond those provincial borders to their corner of the province, including the towns of Elkhorn and Kenton.
Wallace-Woodward Economic Development Officer, Tiffany Cameron, says one of her favorite memories from this past summer as
Cameron notes they offered a tourism guide as they do each summer, however they have launched a new website which offers more information on the many events in their region.
"We did some pretty cool things this year," shares Cameron. "We did a behind-the-scenes chuckwagon experience at the Elkhorn Western weekend, where participants could win to go and talk to the drivers and ride in a chuckwagon and see the horses. So that was really fun to bring in extra excitement around the Elkhorn Western Weekend.
Another highlight of the summer was their first annual Burger Week, where restaurants within the entire region participate in a contest for who has the best-est burger in town.
"The restaurants would cook up their best burger for a week and then see who wins and that was a lot of fun," she adds. "We also had pop-up booths at the Elkhorn event, and the Harding Fair and the Virden Rodeo. So, we had a lot of fun things happening with our tourism group this summer."
The RM has steering committees in the scope of recreation in each of their communities, to help determine what needs upgrades, fixes and new projects.
"Our Kenton group finished up their tennis court project. They repaved the court and are now putting up a lending shed for sports equipment so anybody could go and borrow stuff and use the new space that they've developed there," explains Camerson. "Their next project will be to fix up a playground. So, they've got lots happening in Kenton."
Kola is working on their roof shelter for their outdoor rink, having recently received $15,000 from HyLife.
"In Elkhorn, we're doing a public engagement study. They've organized a group to start looking at their needs for a new facility," she says. "They have two aging community halls and an aging rink, and they want to start thinking about the future of the community."
The Elkhorn community engagement event takes place today, October 15th (see details below).
Other events on Cameron's 'to do' list is preparing for the upcoming Southwest Business & Entrepreneur Expo taking place at Oak Lake, in the RM of Sifton.
"So, it's been a summer of partnerships between our neighboring municipalities and with our residents in each of our communities," she adds.