Year after year, Cochranites have taken to Mitford pond for fishing, skating and even a weekend of hockey for the annual Kimmett Cup, but the lack of seating or a staging area has meant hours of set-up and tear-down, until now.
With funding over the $150,000 mark, including money raised by the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation (LLKMF), Cochrane Foundation, the Kraft Celebration Tour and a $60,000 contributed via provincial grants, shovel is finally meeting dirt on a permanent staging area at Mitford Pond.
The overall project features replacement of the stage floor, installation of storage space, construction of a skate change/picnic pavilion, upgrading to the fire pit and addition of an electrical system.
For Kelly Kimmett, his family and the LLKMF, this endeavor has been a long time in the making and he said, it’s nice to see it all come together with the help of OnGrowing Works.
“I can see this being a year round facility,” said Kimmett. “This is the site where we’ve set up our temporary (Kimmett Cup) tents for the last five years and now we have a permanent structure that honours the tournament.
“This is something the entire community can use for years to come,” Kimmett added.
The LLKMF honors the life of Lindsay Kimmett, who was tragically killed in a car accident in early 2008. Ever since, the family has raised money for various causes through the Monumental Tournament of Aces and the Kimmett Cup.
The concrete is poured, “the wooden structure will be going up shortly after that and it (the skate change/picnic pavilion) will be done before the end of October,” said Kimmett.
