Lions, bears and clubhouse renovations, oh my.
The Bearspaw Lions Club recently received some help from the Alberta Government to renovate its clubhouse.
“The hall was in a bad state of repair and we wanted to make it more appealing to renters,” said Al Bishop, Bearspaw Lions Club president.
The project was awarded a $125,000 grant last Friday from the Community Facility Enhancement Program from the Alberta Government, presented by Chestermere-Rocky View MLA Leela Sharon Aheer.
“When I was campaigning I was out here with the older space and it is a sweet older hall and those are wonderful things because they bring back a lot of memories for those of us who have been here but seeing it now – it is beautiful and bright,” Sharon Aheer said.
The $300,000 project started in July, renovating the clubhouse in three phases with the first phase to be completed soon. The first phase renovations include a new entrance, painting the inside walls and paneling the outside, rebuilding the stage with storage underneath, repairing electrical to safety codes, building an area for a front and back bar, and installing new windows throughout the main floor.
“I am really pleased with the (renos) – the hall will be a great attribute to the community,” Bishop said.
Phase’s two and three of construction will include installing a wrap around deck and renovating the basement with the timeline to be announced. Members are brainstorming fundraisers to help cover the remaining costs, with future events to be announced.
Upon completion, the clubhouse will also be renamed from the Bearspaw Lions Hall to the Bearspaw Lions Community Hall, as the hall is for the community according to Lions’ members.
“The money is being well spent because it is going back into the community – the more we bring our community together the better off we are,” Sharon Aheer said.
“They are doing a really great service to the community by being able to apply this grant money … it is going towards everyone who gets to use this space. It is wonderful.”
The 2,500-square-foot hall has bar facilities, a wide screen TV over the bar and a projector and projection screen over the stage and is authorized to host 120 people with the extended parking able to accommodate 150 vehicles.
Lions Clubs started in Canada in 1971 with international networks to help communities across the world. The Bearspaw Lions Club donates annually to surrounding community organizations including the Cochrane Activettes and also hosts the Bearspaw Farmers’ Market, which has been running for the past 25 years.
The hall is located one kilometre west of the Calgary city limits on Highway 1A and according to the Lions Club website, the first community function hosted in the hall was in November 1955.
For more information go to bearspawlions.com.
