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Photo Credit: Ken Zenner Veterans Memorial Park, Grande Prairie Facebook
By Shane Clausing
Community

Construction set to begin on Veterans Memorial Park Community Kitchen

Jan 18, 2021 | 3:26 PM

Construction on the Veterans Memorial Park’s new Community Kitchen is set to get underway this week.

The new kitchen will be located just outside of the facility adjacent to the ANAVETS Hall and will be open for rent and public use throughout the spring and summer of 2021.

According to Renee Charbonneau, the Executive Director of the Canadian Motorcycle Association, this kitchen has been in the works for a while and she hopes they’ll be able to use it as a tool to host groups this summer.

“Our facility is going to be one of those that can physically distance people well and we’ll probably be able to have a certain amount of outdoor events that other organizations might not be able to have.”

“The neighbourhood association wants to be able to hold Seniors Wednesday’s and there’s another group that would like to hold some singing classes as well. I think over the next few months we’ll be able to start answering those needs.”

Charbonneau added that the kitchen has several different features.

“It’s got a 36-inch charbroiler in it, a 36-inch gas stove with oven, burners, a griddle, and then a 60-inch prep station so that we can serve burgers, hot dogs, and rent our facility and host a family reunion or something.”

Charbonneau tells EverythingGP she expects the facility to be popular during school field trips and fundraiser-type of events.

While some might be a little surprised that the kitchen is located outside, Charbonneau says this was the right thing to do.

“When we started conceiving our facility, we realized quickly that we didn’t want the smell of onions and burgers on the artifacts. We decided that we’d build a kitchen outside and separated from the physical building and act like a concession stand.”

Charbonneau is hopeful that the kitchen will be able to open in May and as things get back to normal, she hopes as many people as possible will be able to take advantage.

by Shane Clausing