By Ryan Dahlman
The phrase there’s “nothing to do” is a cop-out, especially if you live in Swift Current.
The 57s are starting up, there’s a wide range of minor sports taking place, stocker, drag motocross or even soap box car racing; The Swift Current Goats of the SaskAlta Baseball league; concerts galore amongst Long Days Night; the Kite Festival; all the Lyric Theatre events; Stars for Saskatchewan; the ever popular Market Square, and the downtown concert later this summer.
Actor, filmmaker and all around good guy Devon Oman has some announcements coming up with his films which help raise money for the local SPCA so those are always interesting.
A lack of potential fun is not a problem in Swift Current.
The problem shouldn’t there’s “nothing to do” it’s whether people can afford it, but that’s all the more reason people should rediscover their community.
With the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation calling on Scott Moe to eliminate the provincial gas tax in Saskatchewan (CTF) much as what has been done in Alberta, overcoming fuel costs and going on a lot of out-of-towners is a real problem without a lot of of disposable income.
According to the CTF, “Federal taxes cost 32 cents per litre of gasoline. That means drivers pay $37 in taxes to fill up a pickup truck and about $24 in taxes to fill up a minivan. Saskatchewan’s gas tax is 15 cents per litre. Saskatchewan drivers pay both federal and provincial taxes at the pumps. Taxes total about 47 cents per litre of gasoline. That means drivers pay $55 in taxes to fill up a pickup truck and about $35 per minivan.”
Those soaring costs can get pretty ugly when wants to travel out of town to get to camping, trips to see loved ones, Rider games etc. Let’s not get started with electric vehicles, the future of retrofitting communities and all the individual homes.
Do yourself a favour this year: stick closer to home.
So those who for whatever reason can’t afford to travel, check out the Innovation Credit Union Picnic in the Park/Duck Derby; Swift Current Museum, the Art Gallery of Swift Current, the Swift Current Library for a wide range of programs.
Don’t forget all of the beautiful parks in Swift Current which have everything from beautiful well-maintained trails to official frisbee golf.
The tourism industry means a lot to local businesses and helps maintain a healthy local economy. Just ask Swift Current Chamber of Commerce Karla Wiens; mayor Al Bridel or Corla Rokochy who has been involved with the community’s programming for a long time between the museum and the Lyric); a bustling downtown, high attendance at local events and supporting your neighbours event or business means everything.
Without these local entrepreneurs, there really will be nothing to, or buy, or getting services from…
(Ryan Dahlman is the General Manager of the Sask. Newspapers ANG and is the editor of the Southwest Booster)
