There鈥檚 a decent chance that if you visit the Garden Park on Fourth in downtown Estevan this summer, you鈥檒l see Gale Tytlandsvik there.
Tytlandsvik has been a dedicated volunteer at the park each year since it opened in 2011. She spends hours at the park each week, making sure it looks good and creates an inviting environment for visitors.
The park is located between a SaskTel building and the Salvation Army鈥檚 building on Fourth Street. It features a variety of trees, flowers and other plants. A walkway snakes its way through, and benches are spread out, giving people a chance to sit down, relax and enjoy the scenery. There is crushed rock along the walkways as well.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful park,鈥� said Tytlandsvik. 鈥淓stevan just doesn鈥檛 have a spot (like this), and when this opportunity came up with the beautification committee, which Estevan doesn鈥檛 have any more 鈥� it just became my project. It鈥檚 my baby.鈥�
New for this year is black lava rock adjacent to the walkways, to replace some of the rock that was there previously. Tytlandsvik said sand had sifted from the planters and covered the old rock, which led to weeds growing.
All of the planters will receive a much-needed coat of paint this year, and she might add some decorative tile work.
Tytlandsvik started to prepare the park for visitors about three weeks ago. Members of the Estevan Girl Guides helped her with the preparations.
鈥淲e pulled the old plants from last year, and picked up the garbage in the park,鈥� said Tytlandsvik.
Her biggest jobs started last week. She hauled in dirt and compost, transplanted trees, dug up overgrown perennials and brought in the rock.
The park looks pretty good this year, she said. It sustained some wind damage due to one of the blizzards that struck Estevan late last year. She had to remove one tree that was broken due to the wind.
鈥淭his park is kind of a hidden little gem, but it鈥檚 used an awful lot,鈥� said Tytlandsvik. 鈥淭here are people who say 鈥業 don鈥檛 know why anyone wastes time on that park, because no one knows it鈥檚 here.鈥欌��
Tylandsvik said she could dedicate the time to her garden at home, but nobody would ever see it, so it鈥檚 nice to spend time on something that is visible. She is an avid gardener, but she spends so much time at the Garden Park, she doesn鈥檛 have a garden of her own any longer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to spend my time in here, and later drive by, and see someone having ice cream in the park, or people taking family pictures in the park,鈥� said Tytlandsvik. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen pregnancy pictures from the park, grad pictures from the park, and it just makes me feel really wonderful.鈥�
And, of course, there are the people who will have their lunch outdoors in the park on a nice spring or summer day, and there are people who will spend time reading a book in the park.
The park is enjoyed by a lot of people, but she wants people to be more aware of what the park has to offer.
鈥淧eople seem to respect it, a lot,鈥� said Tytlandsvik. 鈥淭his park was built in 2011, and I鈥檝e had one broken bottle in here. Last year I did have some graffiti on the bricks, but luckily 鈥� we did get it scrubbed off.鈥�
It was the first time they have had an issue with spray paint in the park in seven years.
Tytlandsvik and another volunteer, Heather Woodhouse, spend about six hours a week watering the trees and plants inside the park. They could always use another person to help with the watering, she said. They also take time to clean and remove debris from the rocks.
She noted a new employee with SaskTel has been great to work with, and would like to install a new water pipe so it will take less time to water the park.
Tytlandsvik is quick to point out the park is on private land and privately maintained, but it is open to the public.
Eventually Tytlandsvik would like to create some type of a sculpture at the north end of the park. She would also like to see the Salvation Army鈥檚 west wall painted with a base paint, so that she could then create a mural.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had all sorts of ideas over the years, but all I鈥檓 envisioning now is a sky blue with wispey clouds and a very light (appearance), so that it鈥檚 almost a continuation of the sky,鈥� said Tytlandsvik.
Also on her wish list would be a welcome sign at the north and south entrances to reinforce that it鈥檚 a public park.
鈥淚 think a lot of people think it鈥檚 a private space,鈥� said Tytlandsvik.
But these ideas cost money and take time. Tytlandsvik has held fundraisers in the past, including a garden tour in 2015, when she and other green thumbs visited some of the most impressive gardens in the city. She was to have another tour last year, but those plans were scrubbed due to the flash flood in July, and the time many people dedicated to the Saskatchewan Summer Games.
Last year she raised money by selling sponsorships for planters, which proved to be a good idea, so she will do it again.
Costs for plants, flowers, fertilizer, gardening equipment, paint and other expenses add up over the course of the spring and summer.
鈥淚 was fortunate to have a thousand dollar anonymous donation, which was absolutely (outstanding),鈥� said Tytlandsvik.
She hopes to have another garden tour this year, and to sell sponsorships of the planters. Eventually she would like to set some money aside for future projects and maintenance.
If anyone wants to help out with the maintenance of the park, or if they want to use the park for a barbecue or another activity, then they can, but she only asks that they contact her first.聽
