It’s an initiative of the Saskatchewan Blue Cross, which invites people to register online.
The prize for logging how many outdoor activity minutes were enjoyed, from March 1st to the 10th, is ten thousand dollars. The money goes towards a community project, such as constructing a new skate park, a plan the Town of Regina Beach has been working towards for a few years now. The second prize for taking part and logging the most minutes per capita is five thousand dollars.
Stephanie Caswell is the new Recreation Coordinator in Regina Beach and says news of this Challenge comes at a perfect time,
“I would like to share with you that South Shore Parks and Rec, along with some help for the outdoor staff of Regina Beach, have put out, for the what I believe is the first time, a Skate Loop on the lake. Everyone should go check it out. We are really excited this year to play. It is a great chance for everyone from our communities, their family and friends to get out and be active.”
That skating loop is located near the yacht club in Regina Beach. It is a larger than usual-sized rink surface, with the scenic beauty of Last Mountain Lake. There are areas to sit, and eventually, the plan is to place a fire pit near the outdoor skating area so that families can make a day of their visit. The Town also plans to maintain garbage cans nearby, ensuring the cleanliness of the lakefront.
News of the skating loop and the Get Out and Play Challenge inspires parents, like Tessa Silversides. She says taking her almost-four-year-old son, Oliver, to skate on the lake is a joy and that she’ll definitely take part in logging in their activity. “We skate on the lake, probably three times each week, when it’s nice out. It’s so great to go down there and skate in a natural setting.”
There are also outdoor skating rinks in both Regina Beach and at Dobson Park in Buena Vista and groomed cross-country ski trails at the golf course in Regina Beach, where minutes of physical activity can be counted towards the prize—walking your dog on the scenic pathway counts!
For more information on the Get Out and Play Challenge, go to challenge.saskatchewaninmotion.ca and create a profile to enter your minutes of outdoor activity.
-By Carol Rose GoldenEagle