The Birch Hills & District Recreation Board is responsible for recreation
programs and opportunities for Birch Hills and Area residents. The Recreation
Board receives funding from the Town of Birch Hills, the R.M. of Birch Hills,
and from Saskatchewan Lotteries. For all Recreation and Leisure inquiries,
please contact the recreation office at 749-2251.
Curling Rink: Located
at 126 McCallum Ave
(Corner of McCallum Ave and 2nd
Street), this four sheet artificial ice facility
is open from early November to mid-March. Seniors, Family, Open and Junior
Leagues run throughout the season. The Ladies, Seniors,
and Open Bonspiels are major events. Funspiels are
also regular events for the family and recreational curler.
Skating Rink: This facility was upgraded with
artificial ice in 1996 and is located on 2nd Street. The season runs from
late October to mid-March. Minor hockey is popular with teams from
Initiation Level to Bantam. There is a strong Skating
Club which includes Canskate, and CFSA
programs. Five different Adult Recreational Hockey Teams are regular
users. The Birch Hills Blackhawks Senior Hockey Team have home games on weekends. Time is available for
Parents and Tots Skating and Public Skating. Out of Town rentals are welcome.
Golf Course: The Birch Hills golf
course is located half a kilometer north west of Birch Hills on the highway #3
access road. This nine hole grass green golf
course has seen many improvements over the past few years. Adult, Family, and
Student memberships are available at very competitive rates. The course
features a driving range, power cart rentals, and a cart storage compound. A
well stocked clubhouse has indoor seating and a large outdoor deck, with
canteen, and souvenir sales. Many tournaments are organized throughout
the year, including corporate and family tournaments. The Course received
the Provincial Community Achievement Award from the Saskatchewan Parks
and Recreation Association in 1996. Please call 749-2211 for more
information or for a list of the current fees.
Kinsmen Park:
This park adjacent to the Skating rink
includes a tennis court, a skateboard park, and an abundance of green space.
Lion’s Park Campground: This small campground is
located between the Birch Hills Golf Course and Lions Ball Park. There are six electrified sites
built up on gravel pads. The power service can accommodate a few more units if
groups are willing to share power access and gravel pads. The
electrical service is 20 amps, and available on three poles strategically
located between sites. All six sites come complete with picnic table, pole
barbeque and garbage can stand. An ample overflow area is available where tents
can set up on the grass. Firewood is located in a covered wooden bin, along
with a group fire pit, in the centre of the campground. Large trash bins are
located in the golf course parking lot and beside the sports grounds
bathrooms.
There is one washroom building with two separate bathrooms.
Each bathroom has a toilet and sink with cold running
water, paper towel, and toilet paper. Water is from the Town of Birch
Hills municipal source and is safe for drinking. A faucet and hose are located
on the outside of this building where campers can fill up their RV units.
Campers are also welcome to dump sewage into the 1000 gallon septic tank when
vacating their site. Advance bookings are difficult to manage, but the
golf course clubhouse can be contacted at 749-2211 for this purpose. Otherwise,
please drive up, choose a site and pay at the clubhouse. All sites cost
$15.00/night with overflow tenting at a cost of $6.00/night.
Lions Ball Park:
The Birch Hills Sports Grounds are located half a kilometer north west of Birch Hills on the highway #3
access road. The Lions
Ball Park
features three quality ball diamonds complete with shale infields. The
Park includes a picnic area and 6 campsites. Minor Ball teams in Birch Hills
compete in the Prince Albert Leagues during May and June. A beginner "Toss
Ball" League is organized in May and June for children 5 - 9 years of
age. Many Slo-Pitch and Minor Ball tournaments
are held at Lions
Park. Birch Hills
hosted the Softball Saskatchewan Provincials from 1998-2003. They have
also hosted Saskatchewan Baseball Provincials twice.
Toddler Play Park:
The Birch Hills Health Facility in partnership with the
Birch Hills & District Recreation Board worked together to build a toddler
friendly play park which is located behind the Health Facility. The local
Health Facility has recently expanded its mandate to open up the facility to
more community programs. As a result, both organizations share a mandate to
offer wellness opportunities for the people of Birch Hills and area. In 2003
and 2004, the Health Facility and Recreation Board partnered to involve the
residents of Birchview Nursing Home in the playground program. The grand
opening was held in June 2005.
Seniors Hall: The
Birch Hills Seniors Hall is located on 370 Bellamy Avenue. The Club runs activities
throughout the year. The Senior Fun and Fitness program runs Mondays at 9:30am.
The seniors also offer Carpet Bowling on Mondays at 2:00pm and Cribbage on
Wednesdays at 2:00pm. Old Time Dance will run on Tuesday evenings if there is
enough interest. A pot luck dinner is held on the last Monday of every month at
12:00 noon. Bring a dish of food to share! Wellness Clinics are offered on the
second Tuesday of every month. The Hall has a shuffleboard table and pool table
that members can use. For more information on programs at the Seniors
Hall, please contact President Vel Bompais at
749-3364.
Community Halls:
The Birch Hills Legion Hall is located on Bellamy Avenue. This hall has
kitchen facilities and is available for rent. The Dance Club also utilizes
the hall to run their program on Monday nights. The Birch Hills Civic
Centre is located at 126 McCallum
Ave. This hall also has kitchen facilities
to rent. Contact the Town office for booking information. In the
RM, there is a community hall in Brancepeth that is available for weddings,
community events, and family reunions. It is equipped with kitchen and
washroom facilities.
Organizations:
Birch Hills has an active Seniors
organization with activities organized out of the Seniors Recreation Centre.
The Wapiti Regional Library is located in the Civic Centre, and offers story
hour and other programs. The Recreation Board and the school co-operate on a
variety of projects. There is a Community
Pre-School, dance club,
karate club, Girl Guides of Canada organization, and numerous other recreation
programs. The community is fortunate to have the services of the Kinsmen and
Lions Clubs who support many worthwhile community projects.
Arts & Culture
Museum: The Birch Hills & District Historical
Society was established in 1996, and converted the former hospital building
into a museum. The Historical Society’s mandate is "to
recognize the heritage of society by collecting, preserving, and displaying
buildings, documents, machinery, vehicles, and artifacts
that have historic value". The Society also organizes and promotes
events at the museum throughout the year. The annual "Threshing
Day” in August attracts over 800 people to the museum grounds. This event
features a pancake breakfast, parade, children's activities, and a large
variety of historical artifacts. Many of the
displays feature demonstrations of vintage machinery in working condition.
Annual Events
January/February:
· Curling
Bonspiels (Ladies, Open, Seniors)
· Curling Funspiels (United Church and
Co-op)
· Minor Hockey Tournaments (Novice, Atom, Pee Wee, Bantam)
March:
· Figure Skating
Carnival
· Initiation Program Hockey Jamboree
May:
· Minor Baseball and Softball Skills Camps at Lions Park
· Syttende Mai Celebration (rotates between
Weldon and Birch Hills)
June:
· Business Association
Community Garage Sale Day
· Historical Society “Learning
Our Heritage” Day
July/August:
·
Minor Baseball or Softball Provincials at Lions Park
· “Bridging the Gap” Summer Playground Program
· Ladies Golf Tournament
· Historical Society Threshing Day
· Vacation
Bible School
· Seniors Golf Tournament
September:
· Annual
Harvest Windup Golf Tournament
October:
· Kick Start Hockey
School
· Fall Suppers (United Church and Brancepeth)
November/December:
· United Church Craft and
Bake Sale
· Curling Bonspiels (Ladies, Open Seniors)
· Curling Funspiels (United Church and
Co-op)
· Minor Hockey Tournaments (Novice, Atom, Pee Wee, Bantam)
· Minor Sports Christmas Bingos at the Civic Center
