The Crescent Park Foundation recently wrapped up yet another ‘tree art’ project in the downtown green space that has been called the ‘Jewel of the Prairies’ — the project is one more feather in the cap of an initiative first started in the ‘70s.
“I’ve been involved since probably about 2013-ish,” explained Jim Dixon, the Crescent Park Foundation’s current board chair.
“I’ve always realized the importance of the park, what an amazing asset it is for our city and our downtown. When you look around the park, you see the high-rises around, there’s a big part of our mostly senior population living around the park and they get to experience a beautiful setting, right out their windows and just out their door.
“I worked in the park for two summers when I was a student, and I really gained an appreciation for the care that’s required and how important it is. Being right there, day-in and day-out for a couple of summers, I saw how people valued the park. So, you know, preserving the park has always been really important to me.”
Dixon also sat on city council for three terms, giving him more insight into the upkeep of the park and its centrality to Moose Jaw’s downtown.
The Foundation was first created in 1971 by the late Dr. Gerald Parkins and Geoff Hawkins. The original members of the board included Dr. F.H. Wigmore, Russ Fysh, W.E. (Ted) Joyner, and Alastair Muir. (C.F. (Fred) Wigmore sits on the board to this day.)
Early projects included installing fountains in the Serpentine creek, building Purple Martin bird houses, the construction of the Langdon Crescent and Fairford Street East entrance, which re-purposed a historical stone archway from King Edward School, and many tree plantings and species identification tags.
“The front entryway that is now kind of at the Rose Garden was a project we did to preserve those pillars and some of our history, which is really important,” Dixon continued. “We did the dance floor in front of the amphitheatre band shell, when we realized that people go for the entertainment during the summer and that lots and lots of people would be dancing. That was a great project.”
Dixon agreed that board members are concerned about vagrancy and littering in the park, but ultimately that issue simply isn’t their responsibility. Ongoing maintenance of existing infrastructure is taken care of by the City through the Parks and Rec department, and enforcement of laws and bylaws is the area of police and city bylaw officers.
Rick Bourassa, chief of the Moose Jaw Police Service, recently noted that it isn’t the role of the MJPS to keep public spaces like Crescent Park clear of those struggling with addictions or homelessness. Everyone has a right to public spaces — even if that “runs at odds with what some people would like,” Bourassa said.
The Crescent Park Foundation raises money and co-ordinates projects for beautification, increasing use of the park (such as accessibility ramps and more paved pathways), and preserving history and heritage.
“The board’s awesome. Anybody that steps forward and offers their time to something like this, that community is important,” Dixon added. “It’s a great group who are ... ensuring that it’s taken care of and there’s some exciting new things happening.”
To donate to the Foundation or to find out how to become involved, email Dixon at camdix9@sasktel.net.