Creston’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 29 is re-opening on Oct. 1, six months after closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the six month standstill, the building has undergone a number of different improvements.
The legion received a $13,000 grant for electrical renovations and now has new lights and electrical wiring. The ground floor’s ceiling tiles were replaced due to asbestos, and the legion has also installed new flooring throughout the building.
More chairs are being added to the upstairs hall, and the old pool table has been replaced with a new one. Visitors can also find a new door and window on the ground floor.
There’s also a new bartender in house, bringing the bartending team to two. Both are currently receiving training on how to prepare and serve drinks in the age of COVID-19.
According to legion president Joe Nadon, the branch was hoping to re-open in September, but a flood delayed the process.
He added that the Legion’s first major event since re-opening will be a silent auction, which is scheduled to take place on Oct. 2 and 3. The hope is that Wednesday bingo will return at some point in the near future, but Nadon said he isn’t exactly sure when.
“When we had Wednesday bingo, we would have around 80 people come in and play. We can only operate at a maximum capacity of 50 people, so we can’t do that,” said Nadon.
“We’re thinking of having two bingos on the same day: 40 for the first and 40 for the second session. That way, everyone gets to play and we can still pull in roughly the same funds that can go back to the community.”
The legion’s next big project is rebuilding their roof, and are currently in the process of rebuilding their driveway.
They have completed the rebuild on their ramp, and in the future, Nadon said that the legion plans to implement automatic doors to make the building more accessible for those with physical disabilities.
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