The founding family of Parkland Ambulance has made a significant donation to the Play It Forward campaign in support of the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre.
On Friday, the City of Prince Albert thanked the Dutchak family at the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre for their $100,000 donation to the Play It Forward campaign.
Their contribution sponsors both the facility’s multipurpose room and boardroom—spaces that will serve as important gathering places for community meetings, birthday celebrations, and events for years to come. “We believe in our community,” Trevor Dutchak said. “We believe in Prince Albert and everything else that Prince Albert stands for. We’ve been very fortunate and blessed for the last 50 plus years to be in the community.
Dutchak said the family thought it was important to give back to a community that has been so good to them over the years.
“(We) just feel this is something (to do) at the right time in our lives,” he said. “To be able to do that and to have our kids and grandkids and kids growing up in the city to be able to have these facilities is so important to us.” In a press release, the city said the Dutchak family has a long-standing history of leadership and community support across the region. Their continued commitment reflects a deep belief in building spaces where people can come together, learn and grow. The release said that Barry and Donna Dutchak have been recognized for decades of dedication to community service and philanthropy, setting an example of generosity and civic pride. Trevor and Coralee Dutchak have carried that legacy forward through their own contributions, reinforcing the family’s commitment to the well-being of Prince Albert and future generations. In recognition of this gift, the City will name the multipurpose room and boardroom at the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre in honour of the Dutchak family.
When you donate to the Play it Forward Campaign you can select the asset which can have your name and donate to over a 10-year period. Dutchak said that they wanted to connect it to families so the multipurpose room was a natural choice.
“We had looked through kind of what was available and this was something, a multi-purpose room, that we thought was very important for kids,” he explained. “They’re going to have birthday parties here, you’re going to have meetings here, you’re going to have whatever.”
He said that making sure families are looked after is part of their business and personal philosophies.
“We try and look after our paramedics and our telecommunicators and our IT and our office staff, (and) their families at work,” Dutchak said. “That’s something that we want to make sure that we do in the community—look after people’s families—so something like this would be just a fantastic place to have.”
He explained that selecting the boardroom was similar but more supportive of the business side of the family’s dealings.
Ward 7 Coun. Dawn Kilmer read a letter thanking the Dutchak family for their donation before the official cheque presentation, which took place in the multipurpose room.
“It means so much to all of us because the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre is built by Prince Albert for Prince Albert,” Kilmer said. “We’re a city that is built on families and for families. We have a long, rich history of families, so this donation means the world.”
Kilmer noted that The Play It Forward campaign itself is growing stronger and stronger.
“We are a generous city,” she said. “We have so much, we’re growing so much, and there’s so much opportunity for people to donate and make things better.”
Kilmer said some of the larger assets at the Leisure Centre are available for the Play it Forward Campaign, such as the Aquatic Centre itself, the competition pool, the lanes in the pool and some of the dressing rooms in the Arena 1 and Arena 2.
She added that announcements for Arena 1 and Arena 2 sponsorships are forthcoming.
Kilmer encouraged Prince Albert residents to come and see the facility.
“If people want to get a hold of me, call me anytime,” Kilmer said. “I can take you on a tour. It doesn’t mean you have to donate, but I sure like showing the facility to our residents.”
In a press release Kilmer said that the gift was an example of what community leadership looks like.
“The Dutchak family’s support will directly impact how residents connect, collaborate, and participate in this new facility. Their generosity leaves a lasting mark on Prince Albert,” she said. The Play It Forward campaign is a community-driven fundraising initiative supporting the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre. The city said that thanks to the generosity of local donors, this campaign is helping build a space where residents of all ages can enjoy swimming, skating, and other recreational activities for years to come.
Dutchak said that he is proud of the work of local officials on the facility.
“I’m really proud of our councillors and our city to have the foresight to build such a facility and for our community to get behind it and continue to get behind it,” he said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
