Schools, libraries and individuals will be able to loan out a variety of equipment through the new partnership. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

staying active

Recreational equipment available to loan through new northern program

Apr 3, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Two organizations have teamed up to launch the Northern Active Living Library program.

The program was formally launched on Wednesday and it’s a partnership between the Northern Sport, Culture and Recreation District (NSCRD), as well as the Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System (PNLS). Through the program, northern libraries, school and residents will be able to loan out sets of equipment such as games in bocce, ladder ball, horseshoes, bean bag target, boardball, yoga mats, tug-of-war ropes and active fun bucket kits.

“We’ve been thinking about ways to get northerners active and ways to get equipment and opportunities out there, and knowing that PNLS does a great job of working within their communities, we figured that was a great partnership to establish,” said NSCRD program manager Tonia Logan.

“We just figured we needed to start somewhere and we saw that these were great games that you see people playing in the parks and in their backyard. I was constantly hearing horseshoes in one of the places where I lived and lots of laughter and family activities around it, so those are some different ideas that we came up with.”

Logan didn’t know the final cost of establishing the new program, but noted the district wanted to spend a good amount of money so there would be enough equipment to service all of the different libraries through PNLS. She added there are multiple sets of each equipment and they plan to keep on investing in the program in the future.

MISSING GIRL

Search underway for missing 14-year-old girl last seen in Mosquito : RCMP

15m ago

Missing teen

Police search for missing teen

29m ago

Fire in Melfort

Busy month continues for Melfort Fire Department after early morning call

31m ago

“I’m so excited for this partnership and for it to grow in the near future,” Logan said. “PNLS, their staff have just been wonderful, so I am just so excited for everybody to start using it and building it.”

PNLS director James Howard explained the organization will handle the distribution and stat tracking of the program. He said NSCRD and PNLS cover similar regions and he is happy to be able to assist NSCRD in its mission to provide sport, culture and recreation opportunities in the Northern Saskatchewan Administrative District.

“Physical literacy is a concept that is referred to occasionally,” Howard mentioned.

“It’s simpler to the other literacy. Standard literacy is reading and there’s literacy for numeracy with math activities and things like that. Physical literacy is the ability to be able to build this up. The ability of physical activity and physical wellness and all of these great lifelong activities that keep people as well as possible on a variety of fronts.”

Howard noted the equipment will be shipped as requested through its ongoing arrangement with Canada Post. Those special rates are limited to items under five kilograms, so items such as horseshoes can’t be shipped and will need to be picked up or an alternative arrangement will need to be made.

For those interested in loaning out the equipment and are planning on having a day of activities, Howard recommends contacting PNLS ahead of time so staff can pack everything requested and ensure the items are available.

–

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com