Kinistino Mayor Mark Powalinsky in the main hall of the nearly completed community centre.  Doug Lett/northeastNOW staff  

By Doug Lett

New Kinistino Community Centre

New community centre taking shape in Kinistino

Jan 10, 2023 | 3:26 PM

Construction crews are in the final stages of putting together Kinistino’s new community centre.

The town’s mayor hopes it will breathe new life into the community of 670.

“Some of our festivities have basically gone down the road in recent years,” Mayor Mark Powalinsky said. “Weddings, high school graduations, anniversaries, those kinds of gatherings…so we’re really looking forward to having some of those happen here. Create the memories here, create the interconnectedness here,” he said.

The $6.6 million community centre includes a new town office, commercial kitchen, a large gathering hall with a stage, a Legion hall, a bar, and more.

Another view of the main hall, showing the performance stage. (Doug Lett/northeastNOW Staff)

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Powalinsky says the facility should be mostly finished partway through February. The original completion date was last fall, but that got pushed back because of supply chain problems. Delays were also a factor in the price rising from the original $5.84 million to $6.6 million.

Town administrators hope the centre can host a variety of community events, from weddings and celebrations of life to reunions and anniversaries – even Remembrance Day services.

He said the facility can host events of up to 280 people, and the big commercial kitchen could be put to a lot of use.

Kinistino’s former Legion Hall used to be the community’s gathering place, but it had become too expensive to maintain – so part of it was moved, and part of it torn down.

Powalinsky said the push for a new centre started a few years ago, when some former residents of the area approached former Kinistino Mayor Leonard Margolis.

“This whole vision and project was born out of a couple of former residents coming to visit Kinistino to attend a family function. They approached our mayor at the time, Leonard Margolis, and said we’d like to make a donation or contribution to such a project,” Powalinsky said.

He said that got council moving on the idea, and the couple eventually gave the town a significant donation.

“They gave $2 million…very generous,” Powalinsky said adding the couple is choosing to stay anonymous for now.

The federal and provincial governments are contributing over $4.2 million in funding to the project, while the town will be responsible for the rest.

The anonymous contribution will cover a big part of the town’s share, Powalinsky said. And he added some other donations from residents and businesses are also coming in. But the town is still going to need more.

Powalinsky said one idea that’s been proposed is a fundraiser to help pay for the centre.

“Our community is one who will jump in and help out and volunteer,” he said. “I know that if we put out the word for some help, it would be answered.”

Kinistino’s community centre should be opening soon. (Doug Lett/northeastNOW Staff)

While the centre should be up and running soon, he said it likely never would have happened without Margolis, the former mayor.

Powalinsky said Margolis, who passed away last year, was mayor for 39 years, and served on council through seven decades.

“His contribution to this community just can’t be overstated,” Powalinsky said.

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doug.lett@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @DougLettSK