The Rotary Club of Melfort was looking for a way to celebrates the improvements at Rotary Park in Melfort.
On Aug. 29 they found a way with their first Party in the Park at the Rotary Park, which is located on Brunswick Street North.
Rotary Club of Melfort member Gailmarie Anderson said the goal was to give back to the community and have a family fun day, while also recognizing the park’s many improvements.
“We wanted everybody to know about them,” Anderson said. “All of the pathways have been redone, so they’re all really nice and smooth…. Any bicycle, wheelchair, whatever can ride safely on them. That was the biggest project over the last few years.
“We also did an electrical project where we installed lights so that in the evening people can still use the park, play disc golf or whatever.”
Anderson said that the upgrades really helped improve the park experience for people in Melfort.
Anderson said that the park gets great usage but can be considered a hidden gem in Melfort.
“A lot of people do use the park, but there’s a lot of people that don’t even know about it,” she explained.
“It’s further north on Brunswick than anything else, essentially because it’s north of Park Avenue. That’s the main thoroughfare going east and west, so a lot of people don’t really realize it if you’re not one of the neighbours around the whole circle.”
She said the turnout was fantastic for the event, to the point that the Rotary could not keep track of how many people arrived.
The Rotary hosted a hot dog barbecue as part of the day and Anderson said that it sold out by 4 p.m., forcing the club had to run out and get more food.
“It was really, really busy, partly because we had the music the entire day from 1:00 until 10:00,” Anderson explained. “People Could hear the music, some of them were coming over to see what was going on, it was very good.”
Performers included the Home Towners, Bortis Family and Lenvale Elevators.
Anderson said the Rotary Club of Melfort is still doing great work in the community but membership is aging.
“Our numbers are down like every other service club,” she said. “We’re all getting older.”
Anderson said that in order to stop the demise they have started a Rotary Satellite Club.
“We have been spearheading it with one of our returned exchange students who lives in Prince Albert, but we sent her out as a Melfort club years ago,” Anderson said.
The Satellite Club consists of students who have been exchange students from around the world in Melfort.
“They’re technically still part of Melfort Rotary Club, so that’s been really good for us going forward,” Anderson said.
Doug Holoein and the Home Towners were one of several groups to perform at he Rotary Club of Melfort’s Party in the Park on Aug. 29.
Face painting was just one of the activities at the Rotary Club of Melfort’s Party in the Park on Aug. 29.
Anderson explained that the Rotary Exchange has always been a focus for the club.
“It’s always been a focus because they really bring down the median age, let me tell you,” Anderson said.
New Exchange Student Medeea Munteanu from Romania arrived in time for the Party in the Park and will be attending Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate (MUCC).
“It’s the first time we’ve had a student from Romania so that’s going to be very interesting. The last couple of years, we’ve had two students,” Anderson said.
She said that Exchange Program has dwindled in the Rotary District.
“There’s a lot of clubs who used to have exchange students,” she explained. “I mean, it’s expensive for a club. We’ve always made it a focus, but some clubs no longer do it, which is too bad. But so we’re trying to rebuild it. Like everything else, COVID affected us.”
The Party in the Park began with an opening ceremony by the Rotary followed by a Decorated Bike Parade in the park, along with the barbecue there were concessions on site. There were children’s and family activities and a Bike Poker Rally.
Anderson thanked the community for coming out to support the Party in the Park.
“We were very, very happy with the turnout after all of our work. The bands were all wonderful. I think they all played longer than they were going to and just thank you to the community. Let us know if there are any particular needs out there because we’re always willing to listen,” Anderson said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
