Scott Moe Announces $3.75 Million for Playgrounds, Expansion of Community Rink Affordability Program – DiscoverMooseJaw.com

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe was in Moose Jaw yesterday, accompanied by MLA candidates on tours of the Moose Jaw and Regina areas, declaring his party’s commitment to promoting active lifestyles for Saskatchewan’s children through greater support for community playgrounds and trail projects across the province.

“The purpose of the Saskatchewan Party, and the focus of the Saskatchewan Party, is to provide every opportunity for our children to participate in extracurricular activities,” Moe said. “That’s why we doubled the Active Families Benefit a few days ago – when they participate in extracurricular activities, they live healthier lives.”

During his speech, Moe announced that, if re-elected, a Saskatchewan Party government would greatly expand the Community Rink Accessibility Program to help 585 community rinks across the province.

“During the 2011 campaign, and I remember this well as it was my first campaign, we promised to create the Community Rink Accessibility Program: We kept that promise. Very quickly after that election, we had the honor of forming government in the 2011 campaign,” continued Moe.

“This program provided $2,500 for ice surfaces at skating and curling rinks across the province, and today I am announcing that if a re-elected Saskatchewan Party government is the choice of the people of Saskatchewan, we will double this program once again . Let’s increase it to $5,000 per ice surface to help with the rising operating costs we know these community-owned facilities and community-operated facilities are facing.”

A new fund to help schools with the costs of purchasing new playground equipment was also announced during his speech.

“We will also bring in a new Fund for School Park Equipment. The $3.75 million fund will be available to cover 50 percent of the cost of new school playground equipment. We know that as new schools are being built and in existing schools, there are school community councils and active parents who are fundraising for playground equipment and adding playground equipment to our schools.”

The School Playground Equipment Fund will function as a matching grant, up to a maximum of $50,000. Funding from the program is expected to benefit the 300 playground projects underway across the province over the next four years.

Moe explained that the School Playground Equipment Fund will be a great asset to fundraising groups and school boards as there are 28 schools that have been recently built, currently under construction or in planning in Saskatchewan.

“All of these schools and others will raise funds for playground equipment. Therefore, by introducing the School Park Equipment Fund, we will make this a reality much sooner.”