TSN Coming to Outlook!

The Kraft Celebration Tour is going to be in Outlook, Saskatchewan tomorrow. Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole will be in town to broadcast live. They’ll be in the Outlook & District Regional Park on the crossroad between the Outlook Swimming Pool and the Riverview Golf Course. Here’s what the Kraft Celebration Tour web site had to say about Outlook.

The swimming pool in Outlook has been in existence since after WWI. It was upgraded in 1989 making it a first class Jr. Olympic facility. It is ideally located in the Outlook Regional Park along the beautiful South Saskatchewan River. It is an asset to the community and the Regional Park drawing countless Campers from across the province and country. In 2005 this park was awarded Saskatchewan Regional Park of the Year. Park use has steadily increased. Camping sites are in demand. The picturesque 9-hole golf course adjacent to the park adds to the appeal. The pool is the jewel of the park. Swimming lessons are offered to all ages from late June until September. The pool is used extensively by the community for exercise and recreation. There is designated lane swimming every day of the week. This program is well used by the public including several octogenarians! Aquasize classes and water polo clinics have been offered. The pool offers the opportunity for lifelong swimming for patrons from a radius of eighty kilometres. Grandparents have their grandchildren spend a week or two in Outlook over the summer to take advantage of the pool programs. Fun Days are organized promoting interest and activity at the pool. The pool has hosted the first leg of local triathlon races. From poolside one can see the “Skytrail”, Canada’s longest pedestrian bridge. This bridge was built in the early 1900’s and was decommissioned 20 years ago. With financial support and free labour provided by the community and the Canadian Army, the walking bridge was created. It is a source of pride for the community spurring a renewed interest in walking, running and a healthier lifestyle by people of all ages. This area was the site of the SHSAA Provincial Cross Country Championship two years ago hosted by our schools. High school sports are hotly contested throughout the school year as Outlook has not only a public High School but also a residential Historical High School, the Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute. The entire community of Outlook has a passion for sports. The Jim Kook Memorial Sports Complex houses a modern skating rink, 4-sheet curling rink, bowling alley, gymnastics facility and archery range. Four softball diamonds and one baseball diamond and two beach volleyball courts surround this facility. A source of dismay to the locals is that the main street to this complex is one of the first to be ploughed after a winter storm, long before residential streets receive attention. We take our sports very seriously. The upkeep of the pool requires considerable financial resources. This year, a loan for new, state of the art boilers was approved. A local contractor installed the boilers at considerable personal expense making this project a reality. The pool has worked well for many years, but its seemingly idyllic location has become its bane. Because it is located on the riverbank on not so stable ground and because of its substantial size, the weight of the pool is causing it to slowly tilt towards the river. This tilting causes the pipes to break intermittently, usually over the winter months. This delays Opening Day in the spring and necessitates costly repairs to the circulating pipes. Presently the water level is exactly 3.75 inches lower on the river side of the pool. It has dropped .25 inches since last year. If the sinking continues, the pipes may break necessitating costly repairs. This would be tragic for the Park, Outlook and surrounding communities who all benefit from this facility. Discussion about rectifying the situation by employing a special engineering procedure called “Mud Jacking” to help stabilize the pool has taken place but the cost is prohibitive for this non-profit park. This procedure would add many more years to the longevity of the pool. A $25000 Community Refresh Award could rescue this pool from total collapse and help keep community spirit alive and well in Outlook.

Looking forward to a great day tomorrow, and hoping the weather is great!