Baseball diamonds may be a little slower to open this season as snow and cold weather took their time departing. (File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Slow Start For Sports

Lingering winter means delay in recreation programs

May 2, 2022 | 5:00 PM

In a normal year where the snow would have long since been melted away and grounds crews would’ve had more time to get fields into service, local summer sports and recreation programs would have already been well underway in many Saskatchewan communities.

As it is, the start of the season looks a little different this year.

For example, this time of year would normally signal the start of baseball and softball season in Shellbrook, or the start of their new lacrosse teams. All of those have had to move indoors, as the fields and diamonds aren’t ready for use yet.

“The season has been off to a late start,” said Jessica Kernohan, recreation director for the Town of Shellbrook. “However, we are very fortunate to have a beautiful rink facility, which is now being utilized by ball and actually lacrosse for the first time.”

A new feasibility study for a new outdoor pool is underway for the town, something residents will appreciate once the temperature really starts to rise. In the meantime, the slow end to winter has posed some problems for their current outdoor pool.

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“We have a pool that has a liner in it, so we have to keep some water in it throughout the winter to keep that liner in place.” Kernohan said. “It’s still an ice cube, but we’re still very hopeful to have our pool open at a normal time this year.”

Encouragement, for once, comes from the weather forecast, as Environment Canada predicts a high in the mid-to-high twenties for Thursday this week, and another day past 20 Celsius for Friday. That’s good news for a town cleanup effort as well, which was supposed to take place in April but had to be pushed back.

“We were hoping to hit Earth Day, but of course the weather did not allow that,” said Kernohan. “I think we still had a couple feet of snow then. So now our community cleanup has moved to Friday, May 13.”

Kernohan added the baseball teams got an early start last year because the snow went away so quickly, so this balances out a bit and they will still get their season in. She also said the nice sunny days coming up will make their jobs a lot easier as what little remains of the snow will melt all the way.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP