Sask Power building demolished last week

By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com

The demolition crew was hard at work on Wednesday, May 19, tearing down the old Sask Power Corporation building in Kindersley. According to a book entitled Town of Kindersley - 50 Years of Progress, Kindersley Town Council notes for November 29, 1951, revealed a letter that was read from the Sask Power Corporation. It pointed out that their 1952 program included the construction of a high voltage line from Unity, which would assure Kindersley of adequate power for its future needs. In July of 1952, Mr. R.L. McElroy received the appointment as resident engineer for the Sask Power Corporation.

From that point on, work progressed quickly. In January of 1953, Sask Power announced the completion of plans to construct the most extensive rural electrification program that had ever been undertaken. By February of 1955, Sask Power was proceeding with constructing a 6,000-kilowatt gas engine generating plant, according to an announcement made by R.R. Keith, production superintendent.

In July of 1955, the $1,000,000 generating plant took shape, with workers piecing together the steel girders. In February of 1956, approval for the construction of a $1,800,000 extension to the Sask. Power Corporation Kindersley Generating Station was granted, according to the Hon. J.A. Darling, Chairman of the Sask Power Corporation Board of Directors.

Work on the extension commenced in the spring of 1957 and housed two large gas turbine generating units. Installation of the gas units at Kindersley marked the first time such units were used in the province. On July 16, 1958, the Hon. R. Brown, minister in charge of Sask Power, pushed the button at the local generating station, starting one of the new gas turbines. The event was celebrated with a reception in the Legion Hall that afternoon.