ASSINIBOIA — Successful communities include a broad cross-section of residents. Capitalizing on distinctive assets, whether it involves history, natural surroundings, recreation options or continued community commitment to development and growth.
These are some of the strengths Assiniboia has been building upon making it a desirable place to live or travel to. Dubbed “The Heart of the Golden South,” Assiniboia residents and leaders rally together to fulfil their title.
Community planners and civic officials have a vision for the future and are committed to continuing the enhancements that will bring mutual benefits to business, recreation, groups and organizations as well as the tourism and the hospitality sector.
Communities in Bloom volunteers, who maintain and encourage everyone to pay attention to community aesthetics, work hard all year to be leaders in community pride.
In addition to numerous flowered areas, parks, green places and spaces the group spearheaded the fundraising and construction of a covered gazebo at the town’s pool area. This adds another desirable aspect to the park and pool, having welcome shade on a hot summer’s day.
Communities can grow by choice or by chance and the efforts of many residents contribute to both ends of the growth scale for this southern Saskatchewan community. Shaping plans around existing town assets as well as capitalizing on opportunities that come knocking have helped shape Assiniboia into the community it is today, and have set the stage for a continued desire for growth and development.
One of the keys to these development successes is incentives, partnerships and voluntary initiatives.
Golden South Child Care, now under construction, was a vision-to-reality story. Young moms saw the need for additional childcare options in town.
The importance of educating the community on the need for a new childcare dentre in town helped generate support from additional sources, such as Integra Tire's 30th anniversary celebration earmarking their barbecue proceeds towards their fundraising goals.
The recent addition of a patio on Ross Payant Nursing Home was also a community effort and now residents and their families have enjoyed the great outdoors with the newest addition to their centre.
Excitement was high when residents learned that a new Petro Canada C-Store and Dairy Queen franchise would be part of Assiniboia.
The downtown revitalization project, while offering some challenges, is another development that will be both welcome and beneficial once it is completed.
Partnerships, such as Curtis Nelson’s offering with the Gravelbourg Shuttle, which takes people to city locations for appointments or other needs, have benefitted residents. When Nelson Motors partnered with the Masons, there were able to offer free transported to Gravelbourg to connect with the shuttle service, with the driver picking them up at home and bringing them to the corner where the shuttle meets them.
No is a powerful word in a small community. Successful communities know “yes” is a more powerful word. Yes, leadership, organizations and community members can make their town a better place to live in, to look at, to work in, to visit.
