‘Best-kept secret’: LSCO Woodshop gets a fresh start

By Lethbridge Herald on January 22, 2026.

Herald photo by JOE MANIO From left, Taunya Pickles, John Usher, Ruth Unrau, and Kaitlynn Weaver cut the ribbon Thursday to officially open the revitalized and renamed Westco Construction Woodshop at the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization (LSCO).

By Joe Manio

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter- Lethbridge Herald

A beloved but little-known fixture at the LSCO building is getting a new lease on life. The long-standing woodshop reopened in January 2026 as the Westco Woodshop following a complete renovation. 

Executive Director Kaitlynn Weaver called it a “best kept secret” that has served LSCO members and the greater community for decades. 

“The woodshop has been here I think since the 90s. I started as executive director about a year ago, and I was so excited about the wood shop I didn’t know was here,” says Weaver. “It’s kind of tucked away in the building, and when I came here, it needed a bit of a facelift.” 

Weaver, LSCO board president John Usher, Ruth Unrau, sister of longtime LSCO member and volunteer John Unrau who donated tools from his estate,  and Westco Construction representative Taunya Pickles dedicated the revitalized woodshop with a ribbon cutting there Thursday.

“Today marks more than the unveiling of a revitalized space,” says Weaver. “It marks the beginning of countless new projects, friendships, and opportunities for our members to connect, learn, and share their talents.”

Weaver described how during the summer, LSCO received a generous donation of tools from the estate of longtime LSCO member and volunteer John Unrau. His sister, Ruth, recognized how meaningful the woodshop was to her brother and to the broader community. 

With this significant gift, LSCO saw an opportunity to transform the woodshop—to create a space offering more room to work, improved safety and the ability to maintain some of their beloved older equipment.

“We received a donation from the estate of John Unrau and with that we decided to purchase some new equipment. And then we said ‘why not go a little bit farther and do a new layout?’”

The complete woodshop makeover was made possible through a partnership with Westco Construction, which secured three-year naming rights. The updated shop features modern equipment as well as the tools donated from Unrau’s estate.

“We’ve worked with LSCO previously, like their (recent) gala,” says Westco Construction marketing and communications manager Taunya Pickles. “When the wood shop came open, it seemed like a natural fit for us to send some people in and do some manual labour. It’s always nice for an organisation to support the community through writing a check, but I think it’s more meaningful to the community and our staff to actually be able to be in the organisation and help in that way.

“This is something that’ll be here for a long time. And yeah, just help give a lot of people purpose and a way to make some really cool stuff.”

Ruth Unrau said her late brother would find the whole thing “neat.” According to Unrau, her brother also spent a lot of time volunteering in the kitchen washing dishes. 

The revitalized space gives LSCO members a hands-on place to build everything from benches to shelves for the facility. The workshop is open to members, with safety rules requiring at least two people in the shop at all times.

With fresh tools and a refreshed space, the Westco Woodshop is ready to spark creativity—and maybe a little friendly rivalry—among its members.

“The Westco Woodshop will continue to be a place where people come together to share skills, pass down knowledge, and experience the joy of creation. It stands as a true testament to what can be built—both literally and figuratively—when a community works hand in hand,” says Weaver.