Kinsmen celebrate 100 years with rededication of Kinsmen Park

By Kalinowski, Tim on February 21, 2020.

Members of the Kinsmen Club of Lethbridge were on hand Thursday to rededicate the Kinsmen Park with a newly-refurbished sign as they marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Kin Canada. Herald photo by Ian Martens @IMartensHerald

Tim Kalinowski

Lethbridge Herald

tkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com

The Kinsmen Club of Lethbridge rededicated Kinsmen Park with a newly-refurbished lit sign on Thursday to mark the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the Kin Movement in Canada.

“Today is Kin Canada’s 100th anniversary,” affirmed Kinsmen Club of Lethbridge president Matthew Robertson. “We were founded on this day in 1920. So we are celebrating here in Lethbridge by rededicating Kinsmen Park, which we first gave to the City in 1951, by refinishing a sign and putting that up. Straight after that, we are heading to city hall and we’re going to raise a commemorative Kin Canada flag.”

The sign had hung over Kinsmen Park for 69 years as a banner for the local organization’s other numerous community service works over its 92-year history in Lethbridge prior to its restoration earlier this year.

“It was in a sorry state after being up for 69 years; so we refinished it and put it up so people people will recognize that the Kinsmen are a part of this community, and that’s the reason this park exists today,” stated Robertson.

“It’s incredible to be part of this piece of history,” he added, “and I am lucky enough to be president during this (centennial) year. I have only been a Kinsmen for eight years, so there has been a lot of people who have come before me who have done all of the hard work. And, for me, it just feels special to be a part of that history.”

Kinsmen Club of Lethbridge member Winter Coburn led the effort to have the sign restored both out of his love of Kin and for the love of his old neighbourhood.

“I grew up in this neighbourhood and I grew up in this park,” he explained. “I spent many hours running around playing in here … It’s nice to see the area coming back to life.”

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