Members of the Melfort Elks cut the ribbon on the re-opening of Stovel Park. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

Stovel Park re-opens

‘The transformation is amazing’: Stovel Park re-opens in Melfort

Jun 23, 2019 | 10:00 AM

After several years of planning and fundraising, the ribbon was officially cut on the Stovel park.

Originally installed by the Melfort Elks, the park was nearing the end of its lifespan when the Elks group along with several other community groups banded together to save the park on Stovel Ave. W.

Elks Exulted ruler, John Barks said to get to the park to where it is today was a task the group felt they needed to complete.

“We needed to fulfill a dream of making it look good,” Barks said.

Those words came after Barks explained how the Elks wanted to keep the memory and determination of Earl Armstrong alive in the commmunity.

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Armstrong was a fellow Elk member who speerheaded the park project.

“When Earl passed away we kept on his dream so we dedicated the park to Earl,” Barks said.

Stovel Park now features a children’s play structure, pickleball courts, bathrooms and a gazebo shelter.

The newly revitalized Stovel Ave. Park.

The park also won a grant through the NewSask Community Futures challenge for communities and brought in many other community donations and hosted several fundraisers to reach their $50,000 price tag of revitalizing the park.

City of Melfort Mayor Rick Lang was on hand for the opening ceremonies and said this park will add to the brand of the community, ‘Play Melfort.’

“The transformation is amazing, it’s not even close to what it was before,”Lang said. “This plays into our brand that we have superior facilities and that park is now one of those superior facilities.”

Along with the ribbon cutting, the day featured a family fun day that was moved to inside the curling rink due to the weather.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser