The City of Weyburn and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) recently signed a five-year agreement, outlining the details of a rehabilitation program at the Credit Union Spark Centre.  

The City will help facilitate the SHA’s Chronic Disease Management – Quality Improvement Program. 

“This new partnership is exciting for the City of Weyburn,” Andrew Crowe, director of Leisure Services said. “Providing a space to improve the health and well-being of the community is a priority for the Leisure Services department. The Credit Union Spark Centre is a wonderful asset to the community, and this partnership is another example of how the new facility will benefit the various demographics within our community and surrounding area.”   

Representatives from the SHA were at the Spark Centre yesterday to talk about the new program. 

Dana Renwick, a Nurse Educator with Primary Healthcare said since partnering with the City they have revamped the chronic disease programming that they had before. 

“Now we’re calling it all Healthy Living Program, and the first program we started with is cardiac rehabilitation,” she said. “We get a referral out of Regina, someone may have had a heart attack or some sort of heart event and then we book them in with our program and they have a one-on-one with me and I would provide education and just kind of clear them for exercise and things like that.” 

“Saskatchewan Health Authority is dedicated to providing team-based primary care through our health networks to improve the health of Saskatchewan people,” Trevor Tessier, director of Primary Health Care for Weyburn Primary Health Services said. “We’re grateful to collaborate with the City of Weyburn to deliver this work.” 

Tessier added the sessions focus on mental health and stress management associated with living with a chronic disease. 

“The intent of the Healthy Living Program and what we do is to empower the participants within, so they have the tools to deal with their chronic disease.” 

The pre-registered clients are elderly patients or have chronic conditions.  

The agreement allows these participants to use the Credit Union Spark Centre as a safe space where they can exercise with their healthcare team encouraging them by their side. 

A $7,500 recumbent fitness trainer was purchased through the collaboration. The Weyburn Credit Union Community Fund provided $5,000, and the Grow Your Community Grant from the South East Sport, Culture and Recreation District gave $1,000. Anyone can use the fitness trainer, which is located on the second floor of the Credit Union Spark Centre. 

Facilitators of the chronic disease management program can utilize the centre’s multi-purpose room, first aid room, mini gym, and exercise track.   

sha