The general manager of the Portage Regional Recreation Authority describes 2017 as a very good year for the organization. David Sattler says they saw significant improvements to all of their facilities, starting with upgrades at Rotary Republic Park. Sattler notes that included new fencing for the two baseball diamonds as well as a new infield and new dugouts. He says the new batting cage is also a huge improvement for all those athletes who'll be using the park next season.

Sattler notes at the end of the splash season they ended up investing close to four hundred thousand dollars in the outdoor aquatic facility through funding from the Small Communities Fund and Canada 150. He says they're going to have a new liner, some new water features, improvements to the washrooms and the slide tower has been repainted and coated. Sattler adds of course one of the biggest projects of the year was replacing the roof at the Shindleman Aquatic Centre so it could reopen in time for Christmas.