​Lucknow Kinsmen plan new headquarters, community facility at Graceland

The Lucknow and District Kinsmen Club has announced plans to build a new headquarters and community facility at Graceland, the site of the organization’s two signature annual events, Lucknow’s Music in the Fields and the Dungannon Super Pull and Demolition Derby.

With construction set to begin later this year, the new facility will serve as the club’s headquarters and primary meeting location, as well as a storage warehouse and functional all-purpose space for its two major events.

Additionally, plans are under way for a collaboration with Lucknow’s Unique Minds Child Care, allowing that business to use the facility on weekdays to extend daycare services to nearly 100 children from the surrounding community, and create new full-time employment opportunities for residents.

“We’re excited and proud to announce our plans for this new multi-use facility,” said club member Rick McMurray, co-chairman of Lucknow’s Music in the Fields. “The Kin Canada motto is ‘Serving the Community’s Greatest Need,’ and child care is an increasingly vital need for stability and growth in many communities like ours.

“This project will significantly enhance our infrastructure for the club and the events we produce while also opening new opportunities for local events and partnerships – initiatives such as after-school programs for our youth, and a lot more.”

"The Finlay family is thrilled with this opportunity to further benefit the community of Lucknow and its surrounding area in the growing need for child-care services,” said Joan Finlay, director and co-owner of Unique Minds Child Care. “We look forward to working with the Lucknow Kinsmen to see this vision become a reality."

To date, the club has donated more than $1.7-million to organizations and causes serving Lucknow and the surrounding communities. The majority of those contributions are generated through the Dungannon Super Pull and Demolition Derby and Lucknow’s Music in the Fields, which are slated to return to Graceland later this year, from June 13-14 and Aug. 21-23, respectively.

Graceland is located at the east end of Lucknow, north of Bruce County Road 86.