Several projects are on the agenda for the International Peace Garden this year, including a major upgrade to the Eric Willis Pavilion. Chief Executive Officer Garry Enns says they will soon be putting tenders out for that project.

Enns says they have a grant for half a million dollars, and right now they're wondering if that be enough to cover all the work. "We need to redo the roof, we need to do the floor downstairs, we need to completely redo the kitchen, there are issues with the windows... every nook and cranny is going to be looked at and dealt with."

Enns says their hope is to turn the pavilion into a three season facility, enabling them to accommodate more people, for a longer period of the year.

Some paving work is also set to take place this year.

Meanwhile, Enns says their hiring season has begun, noting they've already had quite a few people showing an interest in positions in all areas of the garden. Enns says depending on the weather, they expect to bring staff on for the end of May or beginning of June. "Some of that's dependent on the school year," noted Enns. He says they can get students from North Dakota a bit sooner than from Canada. "We try to balance our staffing, so we have a good representation from both countries."