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After years of navigating crater-sized potholes and mounting safety concerns, visitors to the Kindersley Health Centre can now park without worry, thanks to a grassroots effort that turned frustration into fresh pavement.
The treacherous parking lot at the Kindersley Hospital and Manor has finally been resurfaced, not through government support, but through old-fashioned rural resolve and generosity.
Despite repeated efforts, the Saskatchewan Health Authority did not allocate funds for the long-needed repairs. That’s when the community stepped in.
“They just couldn’t get it done. There was never any money for it,” said Lionel Story, Reeve of the RM of Kindersley. “So we just thought we had to step in and do something.”
The RM of Kindersley joined forces with neighbouring RMs — Oakdale, Milton, Newcombe, and Prairiedale — as well as the Town of Kindersley, several Hutterite colonies, and private citizens to raise the funds needed to overhaul the parking lot.
“The Kindersley and surrounding community, they are caring and sharing people who deserve better than what we had been putting up with,” said Story. “They just made it happen with a little push.”
The project did more than just fix existing pavement. Crews added 14 new staff parking stalls at the back of the hospital, freeing up the front for patient and visitor use. The North parking lot was expanded, and a grassy traffic circle at the front of the facility was removed to make way for designated wheelchair parking.
“It’s a huge upgrade. Not just safer, but more functional,” said Story.
Community members can still contribute to the project by visiting the RM of Kindersley office, where donations are eligible for a tax receipt.
Story said the initiative is a reminder of what rural Saskatchewan does best.
“When there’s a need and no one else is stepping up, we take care of our own.”