Regina Ski Club fundraises to further develop Kinsmen Park

The Regina Ski Club is fundraising to plant 200 low trees and shrubs within Kinsmen Park to support the park being used all-year round. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News) its third Cider Day

The Regina Ski Club hosted its third annual Cider Day event on Sunday, aiming to recruit new members and fundraise for Kinsmen Park.

As part of their yearly fundraising fixture, members from the club enjoyed the cross-country ski and walking trails, while also indulging in hot cups of cider.

“We’ve had a milestone achievement in terms of having a new multi-purpose facility to store our ski trail equipment just completed,” explained volunteer Shawn Silzer.

“Now, we’re on to the next phase of the project where we’re trying to fundraise some money so that we can plant load shrubs and trees in the park to capture snow and make it more amenable for season[al] use.”

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The club hopes to plant hundreds of low trees and shrubs throughout Kinsmen Park.

“We’re hoping to fundraise $30,000 this year to plant about 200, low trees and shrubs in the park just to help increase the biodiversity, to attract birds and help capture snow in the winter time,” said Silzer.

Another volunteer, former city councillor Cheryl Stadnichuk, said she enjoys meeting fellow skiers at Cider Day, and encourages skiers at all levels to visit the trails.

“People are coming to the park either to walk or to ski, and the city’s community firepit is just wonderful,” she shared.

“I just met a fellow named Jonathan who said that he’s just a brand new skier and he joined the Regina Ski Club, took lessons, and he comes here because this park is the best park in the city to ski in especially if you’re a learner.”

In addition to Kinsmen Park, volunteers groom more than 15 cross-country ski and walking trails across Regina which include Douglas Park, the Saskatchewan Science Centre, Joanne Goulet Golf Course, Sherman Park and others.

Cider Day is also an opportunity to thank all of the club’s volunteers who help maintain the trails, according to Silzer.

“There’s people that drive the skidoos and set the trails, shovel the snow into the bald patches so that there is a good trail all the way around the park,” he said,

“It’s a chance to say thank you to them and to meet [and] make some new friends and reacquaint with some old friends.”

As winter is slowly coming to an end, residents are encouraged to check the group’s website before heading out.