Trusses have gone up as the work continues on what will be an outdoor event space offering protection from the elements on West Fraser Road.
Buck Ridge Community Association president Dave Wall said it was around ten years ago the association was formed as the community looked at revitalizing their hall built more than six decades ago.
Costs, however, would prevent them from doing that, so it was decided to put up a large covered picnic shelter where people could meet.
“We have a large number of events out on the grounds, but it is not really handy when it’s raining, so we decided to do some fundraising and raise some funds to build an arbour,” Wall said.
“So we did that, and then we went to the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) and managed to get some funds through them to help us add to what we had.”
The association was awarded $27,599 by NDIT last year for the project valued which will cost an estimated $39,427.
Wall said COVID-19 had prevented them from getting much done.
This year work has taken off with community members providing labor and businesses offering materials and supplies.
Wall himself has even donated machine time, and residents have also done their part with equipment to help lower project costs that had shot up due to red-hot lumber prices.
Support posts were donated, and West Fraser provided lumber.
“I’m just thankful for the community members and local businesses that have helped out thus far…and appreciate what people are doing to make it happen and look forward having our first event there hopefully later this year or early next year,” Wall said.
The unsound and unusable hall is hoped to be dismantled and disposed of in the future, although Wall said he is not sure at this time what will be needed to make that happen.
“But it will disappear at some point.”
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