Reston Lake a hot spot for summer fun
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2020 (2002 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Manitoba is known for being the “land of 100,000 lakes,” and last year the Rural Municipality of Pipestone added to that number by opening its new man-made body of water to the public.
This summer, Reston Lake became a little extra exciting for Westman residents after the municipality installed a new dock and waterslide to go along with its sandy beach and circulation system that doubles as a decorative fountain.
According to Tanis Chalmers, the RM’s manager of economic development, this new structure, situated in the middle of the lake, is designed to appeal to older children and adults who may not be taken in by the community’s nearby spray park.
Chalmers said the dock and slide also add a little bit of variety that wasn’t present when the lake was first installed back in June 2019.
“Basically, last year everyone brought their floaties and some people had kayaks,” she said. “People are still doing that, but now this gives something for the kids and the adults to swim out to and hang out on and jump off of.”
Chalmers said the origins of Reston Lake can be traced back to a 30-year-old conversation the RM has been having about whether they should install a pool as a summer attraction.
However, the current council of Pipestone decided in 2017 that a man-made lake would provide the same basic experience at a significantly cheaper price and began construction in the fall of 2018.
The RM eventually completed construction of Reston Lake in June 2019, with a price tag of around $300,000 and modest dimensions of 87 by 69 metres.
Chalmers said the body’s relatively small size allows the water to heat up much more quickly compared to natural lakes.
“My kids were in it by May long weekend,” she said.
Plus, Reston Lake is part of Pipestone’s ongoing effort to turn that portion of the region into a major tourist destination, since a spray park, golf course and campgrounds are also located nearby.
“We’re also in the process of fundraising right now for a skate park,” Chalmers said. “We do have quite a bit of the funds already, but we are still working on that. And there has been some discussions about mini golf as well.”
Even though the COVID-19 outbreak has put a slight damper on some Manitobans’ drive to travel this summer, Chalmers welcomes any nearby residents to come out and enjoy Reston Lake for themselves, as long as they go out of their way to maintain physical distancing.
“Everything has been going well so far,” Chalmers said. “We’ve had lots of people coming from all over southwestern Manitoba and even Saskatchewan to use the lake and camp at the campground. It’s a great place for families and whatnot.”
Reston is located a little over 100 kilometres southwest of Brandon between the communities of Pipestone and Sinclair.
Anyone looking to cool off in Reston Lake this summer can do so free of charge.
» Twitter: @KyleDarbyson