By Adam Eisenbarth
Not everyone can simply hop in a canoe and enjoy a day at the lake, but the Ponoka Fish and Game Association is aiming to make opportunities for the less fortunate to have that chance.
A recent project saw volunteers with fish and game club hard at work to help make Lake Pofianga a place for everyone to enjoy.
A wheelchair ramp has been installed to allow access for handicapped and senior citizens so they can enjoy time out on the lake too.
“We’re hoping it gets used a lot. We’re looking to get the seniors from the Alberta Hospital so they can enjoy some time fishing,” says Leonard Davis of the association.
“Of course it’s for everybody in a wheelchair but it was directed more toward the seniors just because we know they aren’t able to walk and get closer to the water and even if they can just get out there and fish, even if they don’t catch anything, it’s a way of doing something they used to be able to do.”
The ramp has been a lot of work and if it isn’t for volunteers from the association and some generous donations, the ramp would not exist.
“When you include the volunteer work put toward this it’s come at no cost. The concrete has been donated by Inland. Town and Country (Supplies) allowed us use of their backhoe so it’s really been a nice community project.”
The concrete was donated and many volunteers have put in the labour for this project.
“The concrete alone was about $2,500 worth and then add in the labour of about 25 volunteers,” said Davis.
Youth Camp ends with ride down the North Sask.
Ponoka Fish and Game Association have also provided a camp for kids that just wrapped up recently with a canoe trip down the North Saskatchewan River. Davis says it’s important for the kids to experience something like these camps so they can learn a variety of skills for the outdoors.
“It’s taught properly. We find a lot of these kids think that they know the proper ways to do things when in fact they really don’t know and they don’t know the laws, so it’s an important thing.”
“It’s just an entertainment thing for the kids. It’s a kind of wind up to finish off the camps.”
The kids were given an education on hunting, fire safety and different ethics laws with a goal of making the kids safer, while improving the treatment of the environment.
