January 19, 2024 — Valley Life Recreation is proud to announce a new $50,000 funding contribution for the Squirrel Hills Trail Park thanks to Cenovus Energy.
Cenovus Energy is the owner and operator of the Minnedosa ethanol plant and is an active community partner for many initiatives throughout the area. The company has a robust social investment strategy, emphasizing its efforts within four focus areas: Indigenous reconciliation, protected planet, future-ready youth and resilient communities.
This funding announcement falls on the heels of numerous other community contributions made by Cenovus Energy, and Valley Life Recreation is incredibly honoured to be among those many valued recipients. The support that Cenovus Energy is providing to Minnedosa assures the continued resilience of this great rural community. This announcement also adds to an earlier Cenovus Energy contribution in 2021 of $10,000 toward the Squirrel Hills Trail Park, bringing their total contributions to this project to $60,000.
“At Cenovus, we support initiatives that make our community a better place to live, work and play. The Squirrel Hills Trail Park does exactly that by fostering an active community, boosting tourism in Minnedosa and neighboring areas, and a better overall quality of life for residents.”
Avi Bahl, Minnedosa Ethanol Plant Manager
This support from Cenovus Energy will take shape in the form of naming rights for the popular perimeter trail that takes trail users along much of the outside edge of the trail park. A separate naming announcement will be made at a future date as park construction continues.
“Acquiring this level of support continues to validate the incredible work the Valley Life Recreation Board has taken on in building out the Squirrel Hills Trail Park. This unique outdoor recreation facility sits very close to the Cenovus Energy ethanol plant in Minnedosa and so we’re thrilled to have their involvement in what has already started becoming a popular provincial attraction. The support from Avi and staff at Cenovus Energy is deeply appreciated.”
Dave Ternier, Valley Life Recreation Board Chair
Cenovus Energy has played such an incredible role in the community of Minnedosa. Some of those areas of support include the new tourism campaign featuring Brett Kissel, to helping the Minnedosa Fire Department with new vehicle purchasing and an enhanced training facility, to the new snowshoe lending library at the Minnedosa Regional Library. They continue to demonstrate community-minded corporate leadership in the region and Valley Life Recreation is proud to have them as a partner in their work to create outdoor spaces for everyone.
This funding announcement brings the total funds raised for the Squirrel Hills Trail Park to $686,000 and sets the stage for a busy spring of construction at the new upcoming park trailhead. Primary construction of the trails wrapped up in the fall of 2023 and early work on the trailhead began this past October with a new parking lot. In the spring of 2024, landscaping, trail connections, concrete work and a large timber frame pavilion are scheduled for construction at the new trailhead site. Permanent trail signage will also be installed.
The success of the remaining portion of the fundraising campaign will determine the final construction plans, encompassing various trailhead amenities such as washrooms, play areas, the Ole Heie Skillz Park, and more. An estimated $150,000 to $200,000 is anticipated to be needed to complete the trail park, at which point a grand opening will be planned.
With the total trail park fundraising goals within reach, Valley Life Recreation invites members of the community to connect with any VLR Board member to contribute towards achieving a fully funded project. Tax-deductible charitable contributions can also be conveniently made online.
———
If you represent a family, organization, business, or farm that may be interested in leaving a longstanding legacy through the Squirrel Hills Trail Park, please contact us.