(Submitted/Shirley Ulvid)

By paNOW Staff

Now Operational

Birch Hills multi-use facility wins provincial award

Mar 8, 2022 | 4:00 PM

A six-year project in the Town of Birch Hills is being recognized in the 15^th Annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards.

The transformation of an old Co-op grocery store into a multi-use facility has made them one of five award winners.

Danielle Vandale, Chief Administration Officer for the Town of Birch Hills said it’s exciting to be recognized for the project.

“It’s good in a sense that, the council I’m working with now and the people here are obviously looking to grow our community right and expand that way, so it adds that other facet or that other piece for gathering and for people and for kids and seniors. When you have a space like that obviously it just helps grow your community,” Vandale said.

She added people visit from surrounding communities, such as Prince Albert and Melfort, to use the facility which will be additional revenue for the community.

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In 2015, the building was put under construction after the idea of the transformation was discussed by council. The resident seniors were using an aging building built in 1920 to gather, which Vandale said was a driving factor for the town for the project.

The facility, which just opened in December, is used by the senior’s recreational club, the Birch Hills Library has moved in and is used as an event venue. It was named after Duane Lowe after he donated money and time to the project

“That is what it’s used for now and any other thing that’s really community driven. That’s kind of the idea is to create just this open space but at the same time make sure it sustains itself and make some type of revenue but it’s a really neat building,” Vandale said.

The building costed anywhere between $450,000 and $500,000 to turn it into the multi-use facility.

“It’s just been really a large-scale community project, I’m quite impressed with it,” she said.

The Saskatchewan Municipal Awards recognizes the innovation and transformation of some of the province’s municipal governments.

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12