Memorial cable park for Saskatoon wakeboarder officially opens

A special dedication ceremony took place on Saturday, marking the official opening of the Josh Dutchak Memorial Cable Park, a ski and wakeboard pond in Saskatoon’s north industrial area.

The park is named after Josh Dutchak, who was a prominent figure in watersports in Saskatoon until he died of cancer in 2022 at the age of 32.

The cable park allows amateur or established athletes to enjoy wakeboarding or skiing using a cable to be pulled, rather than a boat, which can be costly and unattainable for most.

Before Dutchak passed away, he expressed the need for Saskatoon to have a cable park to help grow the sport.

After riding a cable park in Florida, he talked about how incredible it would be to have one in Saskatchewan, a place where local kids could get out on the water and experience that same kind of fun, according to his sister Katie Dutchak, chair of the Josh Dutchak Foundation.

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Twenty thousand dollars was raised by the foundation to assist with the project in conjunction with Waterski Wakeboard Saskatchewan. The site includes a clubhouse and observation deck, as well as signage dedicated to Dutchak, much of which was donated by the community and businesses.

“I think Josh would have just been so proud of this. Wakeboarding was a really big part of his childhood, from a young age, growing up on an acreage. He’d be behind a quad in ponds, building jumps and ramps just like this,” Dutchak told CTV News.

Many of Josh’s former teammates, friends, and wakeboard competitors and their families attended the event. The park was constructed in the fall of 2023 and opened last year, but Saturday was the official dedication in recognition of Josh’s impact on the wake community and a multi-year funding commitment from the Josh Dutchak Foundation.

This support helps remove financial barriers, especially for youth, so they can participate in watersports like wakeboarding.

“This is an opportunity for kids and families to get on the water and learn to compete and enjoy water sports at a very low cost. It’s $20 for 15 minutes, and a membership is required,” Danny Gray, Vice President of Waterski Wakeboard Saskatchewan, said.

Saturday’s ceremony was followed by a wakeboard contest featuring experienced athletes.