Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne thanks Malcolm Jenkins on behalf of all P.A. residents. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Funding Fun

$1 million worth of expansions and upgrades for P.A. rec. facilities

Feb 14, 2020 | 2:18 PM

Nearly $1 million worth of improvements to P.A. recreation facilities were announced on Friday at the Alfred Jenkins Field House.

A partnership between P.A. Canadian Tire owner Malcolm Jenkins and the City of Prince Albert will see an indoor batting cage and a playground expansion installed at the Alfred Jenkins Field House, and a new spray park will be built at the Bernice Sayese Centre in the West Flat.

As a philanthropist, Malcolm Jenkins has funded various projects in the city, including the Alfred Jenkins Field House, named after his father who is pictured on the right. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

Jenkins made the announcement on Friday in celebration of his 30th year of owning the local Canadian Tire.

He said the 7,000 sq. ft. expansion of the already massive playground will make it the largest in Canada.

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“If I’m a retailer and I put a blue bicycle in the store and they started selling like crazy, I’d buy more blue bicycles,” Jenkins told paNOW.

“There’s a demand for this, the kids love it, and there’s more kids coming. So we want to make room so we don’t turn anyone away.”

With the expansions on either side, the Jump Start Inclusive Playground will be over 17,000 sq. ft. in size. (Media release/City of P.A.)

Meanwhile Lions Park next to the Bernice Sayese Centre will go from having the oldest spray park in Prince Albert to modern state-of-the-art splash zone.

The City of Prince Albert announced earlier this year that a new $100,000 playground would also be installed in the park.

“The West Flat has traditionally not been heavy on facilities,” Jenkins said. “So the city had on their plan this year to put a playground in (…) and we thought what a great opportunity to make it something really special, so we’re going to put a water park right next to it.”

West Flat Citizens Group Executive Director Dawn Robins said aside from being a safe fun place to play, the spray park will help instill a sense of pride in kids in the neighborhood.

“To be able to have something like that of their very own creates that self esteem for our kids and they’re going to take care of it,” she said.

The spray park will have six interactive features. (Media release/City of P.A.)

Finally, an indoor batting cage will be installed at the Alfred Jenkins Field House for cricket, baseball and softball. The two-lane cage will be suspended from the ceiling in the gymnasium, so it can be raised and lowered as needed.

The 30 ft by 75 ft batting cage will have two lanes. (Media release/City of P.A.)

Director of Community Services Jody Boulet said they hope to have the spray park and playground expansion completed by June, while the batting cage will be installed by the fall.

Free Family Day fun at city facilities

The City of P.A. has several free activities scheduled for Family Day Feb. 17.

Art Hauser Centre
Free Public Skating – 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Alfred Jenkins Field House
Free Gym Drop In – 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Free Drop In on Turf – 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Indoor shoes needed

Margo Fournier Centre
Chair Assisted Yoga with Ruth Griffiths – 9:30 – 10:30 AM (Gym)
Floor Hockey – 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Zumba with Gloria Bell – 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM (Aerobics Room)
Basketball – 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Open Gym – 4:00 – 5:00 PM

Mann Art Gallery
Free Family Art Day – 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
All Ages Welcome! (Children must be accompanied by an Adult)

Historical Museum
Open 1:00 – 4:00 PM
What’s Your Family Story? Create a Family Tree

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom