The Kindersley Regional Park and Golf Course has a big project ahead of them this year.
A main topic between shots at the local nine-hole golf course is the pending addition of a completely new irrigation system at the golf course. It has served them well for over three decades, but too many breakdowns and issues over the years is leading the course into a new direction.
Chairperson for the KRPA (Kindersley Regional Park Authority) Randy Ervine said it was only a matter of time before they had to rehaul the system.
"The fact that the irrigation system out there is 35 years old, and we have been patching it together for a number of years here, at a cost." said Ervine as every leak and break over the years has taken its toll. "It served its purpose, but we have to put a new one in, which the wheels are in motion." said Ervine, expecting installation to begin during the first part of October.
The new, more modern irrigation setup will be a vast improvement from what's in the ground currently.
"This system will last much longer... You can run it all from a (tablet), it's quite a system."
A project of this magnitude of course has a large price tag, as Ervine shared more into their plans to cover the cost.
"We have met with both the RM of Kindersley and the Town of Kindersley and are looking for some assistance from them. I think we will see that come to be, to an extent, but we feel as a (board) that with the number of golfers, we need to see some input from people that use the place the most."
Ervine said things are going well so far, the public becoming aware of the project through word of mouth, from the shed owners who received an information packet on the irrigation project before the season.
There are two main ways people can donate says Ervine.
"We are offering two things. Either a straight cash donation that can be made out to the Town of Kindersley, just as a tax deduction... Looking for $1000 and up, if possible. Won't refuse less, but we are setting that entry level at about $1000."
The other option is debentures.
"What you get with that is a five-year debenture, that if a person wants to donate $1000 in five years from now, they can get that back, plus five per cent interest on that money if they choose to when they become due.
"Some people in the past have said you can keep it all, or they want their initial donation, and we keep the interest. There are different options for people who buy debentures, and that would go through us at the Regional Park, rather than the Town.
"We are hoping that we can raise a good amount of money to show that the people who use it the most are invested in the place." finished Ervine on the topic, adding that member assistance will help drop costs and years of paying it off too.
The initial price of the irrigation project was estimated around $750,000, but Ervine expects that number to be going down.
"We tendered this out, got a couple quotes, and we got one that is thankfully quite a bit less than that $700-750K." said Ervine sharing all the details he could. "That's good news... It's still going to be expensive, don't get me wrong, you don't get this stuff and labour and everything else cheap, but it's a nicer total than we originally anticipated."
The final question on people's minds is if the course construction will shorten the golf season, and Ervine says golfers won't have to worry about getting that final round in before the winter hits.
"I think (the groundskeeper) closes the place on Thanksgiving, which is about the 10th of October, somewhere around there. Worst case scenario for those that are still playing the last week or two, they might have to play around anything going on there. But there should no difference in the length of the golf season really."
With the golf course and regional park together, the course is used by more than just members during the season. Ervine hopes that members and transient golfers in Kindersley alike can come together for a common goal.
"Really what we are trying to promote right now more than anything is this can be members, but can also be any businesses that are interested, any members that have businesses or work (somewhere). But we are focusing initially with the people that golf, whether it be part-time or members. We aren't turning down anything from anyone, obviously."
The topic of construction can wait. Get out and see the course for yourself this summer before the fall hits, and the real plans begin to commence.