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River Valley Centre vacated, city to renovate and occupy
Rapid Access Opening
Will become home for maintenance dept. By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca
The Battlefords River Valley Centre is no longer home to Destination Battlefords or to the Battlefords Wildlife Federation displays. At their meeting Monday, city council in North Battleford voted in favour of renovations to the venue to become the new home for the city’s fleet and building manager and building maintenance staff and operations. News that the building at 801 River Valley Drive will soon be a venue for maintenance staff might come as a surprise to residents who have not been down to the River Valley Centre for some time. The River Valley Centre had previously been known as the Battlefords Wildlife Federation Nature Centre and had long held displays depicting animals and birds. In 2014, the Battlefords River Valley Authority took over the assets of the building, with Battlefords Tourism and Convention Association taking over management of the facil-
ity and renaming it the Battlefords River Valley Visitors Centre. Since then, Destination Battlefords had housed their offices in the venue and used the site as a tourist information venue. The animal and bird displays remained under agreement with the Wildlife Federation, and the venue has continued to be used by the public for meetings and various barbecue and outdoor events. But things have changed considerably at the venue. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down public access to the venue for a long period of time, and there have been other changes as well. A number of years ago, the province withdrew as a partner in the River Valley Authority following provincial funding cuts. Then last fall, the Town of Battleford voted to pull out of Destination Battlefords. The town ended its financial contribution effective Dec. 31, 2021 and ended their participation on the board as of Feb 11, 2022. At council Monday, administration confirmed
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Destination Battlefords has moved out of the River Valley Centre. It was also confirmed by Director of Operations Stewart Schafer that Battlefords Wildlife Federation had taken out the animal displays, and some of those have been moved to Regina. Also, it was reported in a city memo that on March 2, 2022, three individuals had tried to break into the building and had damaged the security cameras there. According to city administration, it is believed the venue was targeted because there was no activity at the building. The plan now is to move the building maintenance crews into the River Valley location. Currently the fleet maintenance manager and building maintenance manager have been located in the Don Ross Centre building while staff have been located in the parks shop. The parks shop has limited space, according to administration. Schafer said they had planned to move them to the airport Continued on Page 5
Chief Crystal Okemow, Lucky Man Cree Nation and chair of BRT6HC and Everett Hindley, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health cut the ribbon for the official opening of the Rapid Access Addictions Medicine Clinic in North Battleford. See the story on Page 8. | Photo by Andrea Stewart, Freelance Reporter This young red fox was perched on the side of NORTH BATTLEFORD the den Weekly In-Store Deal along Ends July 6th the highway on the way to Many More Wilkie. The red fox often pounces on its prey Models of to injure it, before killing it. Rabbits, Pools rodents, insects and fruit as well as eggs from nests on the ground are its In-Stock! main diet. The female is called a vixen 46” Kiddie Pool and the male is called a dog fox. The High density polyethylene, non-skid Was $28.99 young are called pups or kits and a bottom, safe roll-over edge. 9” deep. 97 7154-063. May not be exactly as shown. group of foxes is known as a skulk. | Photo and text by Jim McLane
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