COUNTY councillors want more information before deciding on the future of the Port Dover Kinsmen Hall and Scout Hut.

Councillors last Tuesday put on hold a Facilities Master Plan’s recommendations to decommission or donate the two county-owned buildings in Kinsmen Park off Highway 6.

Norfolk staff will ask Kinsmen if their club wants to invest in replacing the two buildings.

The buildings might also have other uses.

Both buildings were constructed in 1972. They are in poor condition.

The hall stores the Kinsmen’s supplies and event trailers, hosts twice weekly meetings, hosts meetings of other organizations and is a major hub for Friday the 13th, club member Leigh-Anne Cowan told councillors.

Kinsmen originally owned and developed Kinsmen Park, including the hall, Scout Hut, ball diamond and play park, and sold it to the county for $1.

There has been a “friendly agreement” of a life lease on the Kin Hut at no cost to Kinsmen, Ms. Cowan said.

“To hear it is now being considered surplus and considered for closure or worse, demolition, comes as a shock to us after our years of commitment, maintenance and improvements to the building, land and infrastructure,” Ms. Cowan said.

She reminded council about the many projects Kinsmen have done for the community over the years, including the $400,000 Kinsmen Park pavilion.

The club currently plans to fund an $800,000 splash pad.

Scouts use their hut a few times a week throughout their season and use it to stage camping trips, fundraisers and more, Ms. Cowan said.

A local church group meets at the hut weekly.

The hut is affordable to rent for small events.

Fundraising money is reinvested in youth, Scouts volunteer Mary Elder told councillors.

Port Dover Coun. Adam Veri in an interview said he doesn’t mind giving the Kinsmen time to consider if they want to invest in the Kinsmen Hall and the Scout Hut.

The Kinsmen have serious money to spend, he said.

If things don’t work out with the club, the county will divest the hall and hut, Coun. Veri said.

At Coun. Veri’s suggestion, councillors put on hold the master plan’s recommendation to sell the old Port Dover works yard at the end of Nelson Street near Silver Lake.

The master plan forecast the yard’s sale would bring the county $445,000.

You can’t get waterfront property for that price, Coun. Veri said.

Staff will explore if there’s a better use for the property.

Currently, a condemned building is on the site while land is leased for storage.

It’s a chance to do something great, Coun. Veri said in an interview.

Coun. Veri said he has been working on the next step to use the property.

If the project doesn’t come together, the yard will be sold, he said.


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Originally published October 29, 2025