It didn't rise like a phoenix from the ashes and flames, but from the water, silt and debris, Woodlawn Regional Park rose above all of its obstacles.
The banks of the Souris River were permanently redefined by flooding in 2011, and Woodlawn was officially re-opened on June 29 as the scars from two years ago continue to fade away.
The park is something of a community itself, playing host to campers both near and far and housing a number of Estevan's cornerstone recreational facilities with ball diamonds, football and soccer fields, the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club and Souris Valley Theatre. A new addition to the park will be the Estevan Bible Camp, previously situated in Rotary Park, which is in the middle of constructing its new facility across from Met Stadium.
When flooding wiped out much of the park and destroyed many of the facilities, there wasn't a soul in the southeast who didn't feel its loss.
Presenting the rejuvenated park on Saturday, Greg Hoffort, chairman of the board, called the grand re-opening a time for celebration for the whole community.
"It's just a great day for a celebration. A tremendous amount of effort went into rebuilding the park," said Hoffort. "It was a community effort. We had municipal partners. We had volunteers of all sorts. It all came together to make it a wonderful recovery effort. It's something we can be proud of, and it's something we'll have for the next 100 years."
While touring the campsite area near the river, Hoffort said that after the waters receded, there was silt on the ground about six feet thick in places where the new campsites now are.
"It looked like a nuclear bomb went off in here," he said. "When the waters finally went down and we went and stood at the centre of the park, it was beyond devastating."
At that time, in the summer of 2011, he said they had to really ask themselves if rebuilding right over top of the previous location was the best option.
"Thanks to the resilience of the board of directors and the vision that they collaboratively developed, a tremendous plan was put in place, and it's just great to see it finally come to fruition. It's just another example of what's possible in Estevan when people put their efforts together in a selfless manner and put their community ahead of themselves," said Hoffort.
As devastating as the flood was, Hoffort said the destruction was viewed as an opportunity by the board of directors.
"It was an opportunity to rebuild the park for the next 50 years, an opportunity to build the facilities how we may have liked to if we had the chance previously. The park was 50 years old. Many of the buildings were that old. The campground certainly was, so it was a chance to just rebuild. We had a blank canvas to do some work on."
Nathan Puffalt, park manager, said Woodlawn is coming out of a bad situation better off than it was before.
"The park was aging and some improvements had to come up," he said. "I don't think that would have been possible without the flood. As devastating as that was, as hard as it made your heart cringe when you looked at the devastation, seeing the end result right here, today, it made it all worth it."
He began in his post as park manager in the spring of 2012, just as the recovery effort was about to go ahead in full force.
"When I saw the task ahead it excited me, scared me, kept me up at night, but it was fun," said Puffalt. "Not many people get to say they got to build a regional park. That's what it's all about. It's about building something for the community. That's what kept me going."
About 140 campsites in the park's core were lost, and 90 have been redone and ready to accept campers. Another 70 sites are being prepped and waiting for grass to grow in. There will be 20 sites designed specifically for campers who have tents only.
When campsites were expanded out to Boundary Dam a few years ago, 70 sites were installed. Thirty have since been added, and with demand for those sites increasing, Hoffort is expecting another 30 sites will be added this year.
"The expansion at Boundary Dam has gone over better than we ever dreamt," he said.
Cabins will be the next project inside the Woodlawn campgrounds, as Hoffort noted they are planning to have 12 available for rent. Floor plans haven't been developed, but Hoffort said they are planning small, one-bedroom cabins with a pull-out couch in the living room.
RM of Estevan Reeve Kelly Lafrentz said he had just recently been through the park to see the results of everyone's hard work over the last year.
"The community got behind it so well and donated, more importantly than anything, their time. You come down and pick some garbage up or do some raking or hoeing. It was great to see that," he said.
Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig noted his appreciation for the community spirit that persevered throughout the flooding and all the work that was required in the aftermath.
"This really is a joyous occasion," he said. "We truly do have the best volunteers anywhere. Every time they're called to step up to the plate, they do."
"The reaction of the community was absolutely an incredible thing to see," added Michel Cyrenne, executive director of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce.
He noted the importance of tourism to the local economy. It's an industry that is often overlooked and overshadowed by the resource sector, but he said the city saw about 148,000 Canadian visitors in 2011, adding $27.5 million to the economy. Keeping assets like Woodlawn in excellent shape is a key to continuing to attract visitors from around the country as well as international tourists.
At the opening ceremony at the park on Saturday, groups who have facilities, fields and other ties to the park placed items in a time capsule, to be opened on the 100th anniversary of the park and 50 years after the flooding.
Looking back at where the park has come from is something the board is doing already. Even though there is still some work to be done, Hoffort said it's great to see where they are now.
"It's a huge relief to see everyone's efforts come through. The grass is starting to grow in the main part and that's making it very real," said Hoffort about officially unveiling the park to the community. "You can see where the new campsites are going to be. You can see the fresh paint on the walls and the rebuilt interiors of the halls. The golf course is so impressive."
"It's a huge shock to the system to see something like this come together after over a year and a half of hard work leading up to it," said Puffalt, barely believing how far they have come in such a short time.
He thanked the board for their plan to move into the future, as well as the park staff who have worked so hard to get everything back in shape.
"The biggest thing to be proud of is all the people that came together. All the businesses in the community, all the user groups that really joined forces. The relationships that come out of all this are phenomenal," added Puffalt.
