(Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

COMMUNITY HALL

New community centre officially opens in Birch Hills

Jun 4, 2022 | 5:00 PM

A community centre over six years in the making has finally opened in the town of Birch Hills.

Dozens from the community came to the Grand Opening celebration for the Duane Lowe Community Centre on Saturday.

The centre was built on what used to be the former Co-op grocery store on Bellamy Avenue. The building sat rusted and worn down for quite some time.

Another building that was also losing its lustre was the Seniors Centre.

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Years ago, a plan was hatched to renovate the old Co-op to create a space for local seniors, children, and anyone else needing space for events. The new centre also houses the Birch Hills Public Library, which will have its Grand Opening next Saturday.

Retired entrepreneur Duane Lowe, of whom the building is named has been in the town all his life. In fact, his family has been in the community for over 120 years.

“It’s a legacy for my family, my entire family, and my grandfather, father, it’s just something that’s special. It’s a very proud moment for me,” he said.

“At the end of the day, it’s nice to see a building on Main Street that has a new life span and not a ‘for lease’ sign on it.”

Lowe received a standing ovation from the crowd after giving a speech before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

He said he has fond memories of the building from before its grocery store days.

“There was a two-storey framed store here where the managers lived on the top floor back in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was a Co-op store location for many years and now it has a new lease on life.”

Mayor Stewart Adams was on hand for the ceremony and was delighted to see years of commitment and fundraising come together.

“It’s nice to try and fill up some of the buildings and find a use for them and get the community to buy back into these communities.”

“We were very pleased and appreciative of the gifts the major donors made but just as important as that, was the $20 gifts and the $100 gifts. Each one had a story and each one was unique.”

(Derek Craddock, paNOW Staff)

Adams pointed out that the population of the town is roughly 1,200 people and those same people always come together when new town projects are in need of money.

MLA for Batoche, Delbert Kirsch, said a few words on behalf of the Sask Party government. He acknowledged the community spirit and how similar buildings in other towns in his constituency are still left dilapidated and abandoned.

Adams took that message to heart, hoping other towns will follow his town’s lead and come together for similar projects like the community centre.

Last year, the town was selected as a finalist for a Saskatchewan Municipal Award, which they eventually won second place when the honours were announced in April.

—

derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock