The Score Store is a non-profit thrift shop in Erickson that opened in 2020.
One of their main goals is to help improve life for everyone in the region by providing things that can help improve one's mental and physical well-being. That's where the Leda Lake Park project comes in. Located in the community, the park will be going through some upgrades so more Manitobans find themselves wanting to visit the community and park.
Steve Langston says they first received a $75,000 grant through the Province of Manitoba and then another $75,000 from Trails Manitoba. That $150,000 was then matched by fundraising which brought their total up to $300,000.
Now recently, Sunrise Credit Union announced they have donated $25,00 to the Leda Lake Park project through their Building Communities Grant Program. That's now a total of $325,000 that will go towards the extensive upgrades.
"When the quality of life improves, it's good for everyone," said Steve Langston. "When we got the call from Sunrise Credit Union that they would be providing us $25,000, that was massive. Now we can spend more time finishing the project and not worrying about raising funds, which is great."
The park will include mountain biking trails, a covered lookout, and a boardwalk, to name just a few of the amenities. There are already campsites in place and plenty of water to soak in when the dog days of summer hit.
"By adding these things to do, it's super valuable when it comes to the tourism aspect of things," ended Langston. "Our goal is to attract more visitors and we believe these upgrades will achieve that."
Sunrise Credit Union also announced they are donating $10,000 towards the emergency exit at the Prairie Skills Centre in Deloraine, $10,000 towards the Oak Lake Care Centre, and another $5,000 towards the Pow Wow grounds on the Swan Lake First Nation.