A sod turning ceremony was held Wednesday, kickstarting construction on a new three season pavilion at Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach.

Executive Director Barry Dyck says it will go up behind the Livery Barn restaurant, at the spot where their white tent now stands. The main auditorium will have room for about 200 people around tables. Dyck explains it will have a concrete floor and small stage. Two sides of that auditorium will have glass overhead doors, which can easily be opened on warm days.

There will be another building attached with a warming kitchen, mechanical rooms and washrooms easily accessed by the Livery Barn restaurant. Dyck says for the restaurant to have such close access to washrooms is a "fabulous aspect of this project."

He says the large white tent that has been used until now was a poor investment, noting it cost a lot of money and only lasts about ten years. He refers to it as unstable in stormy weather and says it has often collapsed over the years. Dyck says the pavilion will be a great location for family gatherings, staff picnics, banquets and wedding receptions.

The cost of the project is about $1.3 million. Dyck says it will be paid for through their "Foundations For A Strong Future" campaign. That fund is being built up by donations as well as government support. Dyck says if all goes according to plan, the pavilion should be ready for the start of the 2017 season on May 1st.

"The contribution of the community here is very, very significant," stresses Dyck. "The way we've seen people come to the table and offer support for this facility is very gratifying and we really, really appreciate that and we hope that these individuals and corporations and foundations that are supporting it will also be able to make good use of it once it's up and running."

Dyck says Mennonite Heritage Village is not a four season village and so this pavilion being built will be designed for three seasons. However, he says at some point they might choose to install heated flooring so that it can continue to be used in cooler conditions.

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