Campers keep coming back to Eston Riverside Park
BY JOAN JANZEN
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Every summer campers gravitate towards The Eston Riverside Regional Park, and this year is no exception. The regular locals returned to the park to enjoy the month of July, many spending the entire month, according to Karen Mullins, vice-chair of the board of the park. Besides the regular campers, Karen observed that many campers are coming in from Elrose and Kindersley, as well.
A big attraction is the golf course at the park, which is in prime shape, thanks to a little extra care and abundant rainfall. Although this year’s regulations require golfers to book tee times in advance and pre-pay, memberships are one up from last year, and the course is only down 150 rounds from last year, in spite of opening later than usual.
Golfers will be able to continue enjoying the course until late September or October, depending on the weather.
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Eston Riverside has treed sites near the river, plantation near park entrance, irrigated nine hole grass greens golf course, licensed clubhouse, community hall, concessions and a swimming pool. Eston is in a beautiful river valley with charming old elms. A hall is the local recreation center, complete with patio and enclosed deck.
Though swimming lessons were not offered this year at the park, swimmers have continued to enjoy dipping into the pool. And ten members of the pool staff completed a 44-hour national lifesaving accreditation course, which they were unable to complete earlier because of the pandemic, and the lifeguards have really stepped up and taken on all the extra responsibilities and tasks involved in managing the new guidelines.
For anyone who is craving a treat, the concession is open for take out service. Due to the recent hot weather, the concession is going through a lot of ice cream!
Next door to the Tyner Memorial Hall, park patrons are indulging in a game of pickleball this summer. Because this is a new activity to the park, a clinic was held to explain the rules and equipment. Regular play times have been set up and many people have expressed interest in forming a league.
The Eston park has been in existence since 1949, becoming a regional park in 1967. The park’s success is attributed to the diligence of many local volunteers, and of course, to the faithful campers and visitors who keep returning each and every year.