Richard Froese
South Peace News

Big Lakes County residents and organizations will soon have an opportunity to adopt a bench in various hamlets in memory or in honour.

At its regular meeting Sept. 14, council approved a recommendation to establish the community bench adoption program. Staff were directed to provide details, prices and style of benches.

“It can be for anybody, residents and families, businesses, and organizations,” Reeve Ken Matthews says.
“We can identify sites.”

Kinuso begins as the pilot project.

Costs and features were presented by Suzanne Allan, director of community services, and will be returned for council to finalize at the next meeting Sept. 28.

“We should get it lined up for next spring,” Kinuso Councillor Ken Killeen says.
“If you want to make you hamlet look nicer, that’s what you do.”

Any person, family or business, can adopt a bench for a one-time purchase, as long as the adopter or the event or the person to whom it is dedicated to, has a link within the community of Kinuso, Allan says.

“Benches will be located at pre-determined locations within the hamlet, largely along the walking path and near to common or busy areas.”

Benches would be located at the south end and north end of the walking trail, midway of the walking trail, at the Kinosayo Museum, north end of the walking trail near the rodeo grounds, and on Swan Avenue near Kinuso School.

However, Faust Councillor Robert Nygaard suggested it be expanded to the entire county.

“I think we should put it in all the hamlets, you may get more requests and you could get a better deal on the price of benches,” Nygaard says.

Council decided to promote six-foot-long benches, which would cost around $900.

Other costs would include a concrete base for about $300-400. Messaging could be engraving on the bench slats, or a personalized bronze plaque or a white dibond aluminum sign included, at a cost of about $100-200, Allan says.