The Times - Friday, September 9, 2016 A11
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park selected as Trail of the Month Buffalo Pound Provincial Park pays tribute to its past use as a hunting ground by maintaining a herd of plains bison in a hillside paddock. Today, the focus of this park, located 20 minutes northeast of Moose Jaw, is a memorable getaway for fun-seekers and nature lovers alike. The Buffalo Pound Provincial Park was selected as the Trail of the Month for September, by the Saskatchewan Trails Association. The park provides hikers with the opportunity to explore interpretive trails that stretch through the rich natural heritage of Nicolle Flats Interpretive Area, filled with marshes, grasslands, rivers and woodlands that mingle together to provide shelter and homes for a variety of wildlife. Hiking journeys could lead to the the Nicolle Flats Marsh Boardwalk Interpretive Trail. This short route of 0.5 kilometres takes you into the heart of a remarkable landscape and is a magnet for wildlife, such as shy sora rails, yellow-headed blackbirds, American bitterns, western plains garter snakes, pintail ducks, canvasback ducks, shoveler ducks, coots, grebes, water tigers, dragonfly nymphs, water boatmen and caddisfly larva. Interpretive signs along the boardwalk tell the story of the marsh. Nicolle Flats Trail: This
three kilometre trail connects the marsh area with the Nicolle Homestead. It’s an easy, pleasant walk through prairie grasslands and wooded coulees. The reward at the end of the trail is a shady maple grove oasis where you can rest Bison View Interpretive Trail: A walk along this 2.9 km trail provides opportunities to view the captive herd of bison against a backdrop of prairie sky and grasses and to remember the bison as they once were. Views of the bison paddock and marsh area along the trail are spectacular and are sure to inspire further exploration of the area. Dyke Trail: The eight kilometre trail takes you completely around the marsh. The dyke and other water control structures make the marsh a productive wetland for waterfowl and other wildlife. Bicycles are allowed on this portion of the Nicolle Flats trail system as it is part of the Trans Canada Trail. The Valley Trail: Located on the east side of the interpretive area, the 1.5 km trail takes you into one of the richest parts of the valley — the junction of Moose Jaw and Qu’Appelle Rivers. The trail follows the high banks of Moose Jaw River to its junction with the Qu’Appelle River and returns via the dyke along the edge of Nicolle Flats Marsh. In the woodlands
that grow on the floodplains of these two waterways, there are plenty of opportunities for wildlife viewing. There are more than 30 km of maintained mountain bike trails are located in the park near the former Whitetrack ski resort. Well-marked trails follow the natural contours of the valley and range from gently rolling scenic rides for the whole family to technical trails with challenging climbs and descents for the serious enthusiast. Due to National Trails Coalition funding, a recent project was undertaken by several groups including the Saskatchewan Cycling Association to improve the trails. A sustainable trail assessments was completed by Sustainable Trails, focusing on problem areas such as tread cupping, erosion, inappropriate trail location/ design and drainage. The group then constructed seven wood bridges and rerouted of 1,197.3 meters of trail. Buffalo Pound has seven kilometres of ungroomed cross-country ski trails starting from the Lower Chalet area, that can be accessed during the winter months. Each month from May to October, the Saskatchewan Trails Association (STA) is promoting a trail in a different part of the province to encourage people to explore nature
Rich natural heritage at Buffalo Pound park
Photo courtesy Saskatchewan Trails Association
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park pays tribute to its past use as a hunting ground by maintaining a herd of plains bison in a hillside paddock. The park provides the opportunity to explore interpretive trails that stretch through the rich natural heritage of Nicolle Flats Interpretive Area, filled with marshes, grasslands, rivers and woodlands that mingle together to provide shelter and homes for a variety of wildlife. and be physically active. The STA was established in July 2004 as a
non-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of the
Trans Canada Trail and other recreational trails in Saskatchewan.
Family reunion held at Camp Woodboia Submitted by S.Falconer Southline Norman Lee and Kai and Pam Lee and family hosted a Lee family reunion at Camp Woodboia the long weekend in August. Norman’s sisters and their families from Alberta were in attendance. Social News
Ryder and Kirsten Lee and family of Regina also joined the group. The 43 family members enjoyed a weekend of visiting and other activities. Granddaughters Sierra, Dakota and Cassidy McCombe of Medicine Hat have spent some time with Darwin and Laurie Raes.
One stop shopping for fall activities
Danielle Petersen spent time with Floyd and Joanne Petersen and other family members this summer. She was in Montreal for a month attending a French school and starts a job in Regina in September. Lindsey Peterson, who works in Regina, also
spent time at home. He was in Europe for two weeks where he visited England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Word was received on the passing of Steve Okraincee in Gravelbourg on August 18 at the age of 83. He was born and raised in the south country
and spent most of his life here. The funeral mass was held at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Glentworth on August 22 with Father Basil Malowany of Regina officiating. The interment was held at the Ukrainian Catholic cemetery south of Glentworth.
Word was received on the passing of Norma McCrea in Moose Jaw on August 21 at the age of 74. Norma and her husband Murray raised their family of four on the farm south of McCord. They semiretired to Moose Jaw. A family graveside service was planned.
Photo by Marusia Kaweski
The Town of Assiniboia held its registration night for sports, recreation and cultural activities on August 30 at the Conexus Auditorium at the Prince of Wales Centre. There were almost two dozen tables offering a variety of fall and winter activities for the whole family ranging from sports to Scouts to senior’s events. A steady flow of parents with eager children tagging along browsed the activities offered. They had a chance to ask questions and sign up for fall activities. There was even a chance to participate in a Zumba demonstration. One of the new activities seeking interested participants this year was lacrosse.