Complex set for grand opening

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This article was published 24/01/2019 (2690 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Bringing a close to their years-long community hall drought, the Deloraine Winchester Community Complex is set to host its grand opening this weekend.

Municipality of Deloraine-Winchester community recreation and development officer Jennifer McMechan is excited to see three and half years of hard work come to fruition.

“We’re kicking it off and inviting everyone to come out and celebrate with us,” McMechan said.

The path to a new community centre has been a fast one, whose process was alleviated by the hard work put in by volunteer community members.

McMechan said the high cost of repairing the previous facility resulted in a decision to build a new one.

The decision to pursue a new complex was compounded with work needing to be done to the previous curling club facility, which needed structural repairs.

The new Deloraine Winchester Community Complex committee was struck between the curling club and community members, with the group forging forward toward creating a new complex.

“The existing hall itself was already condemned at that point,” McMechan said.

Demolition of both buildings took place swiftly, and building and funding committees got to work raising funds for the new facility.

Construction took place on the site where the curling club was originally located.

Situated close to the town’s arena and business district, McMechan said it was the perfect central location for the community to use.

The cost of the building has not been finalized, but McMechan estimates it will be in the range of $3.7 million when all is said and done.

“The teams that were out there went hard and they worked hard at it (raising funds),” McMechan said. The complex was further helped along with sponsorships and donations from community members.

“We’ve just had great support,” she added.

The complex will be able to host 400 people for social-style celebrations and around 320 to 340 for sit-down suppers, with the curling club carrying a capacity of 100 people under a separate occupancy permit.

A number of functions have already taken place prior to the complex’s grand opening.

With the site hosting a dual grand opening for the curling club and community hall, festivities begin Jan. 26 at 10:30 a.m. The curling club will host junior curling instruction followed by a mini fun spiel game. At 12:45 p.m., the curling club will host stick curling instruction followed by a game.

McMechan said taht stick curling is a game “for people who maybe mobility-wise can’t get down on the ice surface. This is a new thing for the curling club.”

From 2:30 p.m. on, the curling club will host a multi-generational rink spiel, encouraging family members, friends and community members to come together.

“We’re bring out our past, we’re bringing out our present and we’re bringing out our future curlers,” McMechan said.

The opening ceremonies of the curling club, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, will take place at 4:30 p.m.

The Deloraine Winchester Community Complex will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at 8:30 p.m., with the doors opening at 8 p.m.

The evening ends with a social, with local band Sentinel providing the musical jams.

Tickets are available for the social and can be purchased by contacting McMechan at 204-747-3668 or by email at recotourism@delowin.ca.

“Everyone is invited and everyone is welcome to come,” McMechan said.

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp