After nearly a decade of planning and fundraising, the Winkler Arts and Culture Centre is officially open in the former water treatment plant at 547 Park St.

"It took time, big projects like this take time, but I feel like I can breathe a little bit today," WAC President Ray Derksen says, adding artists finally have a place in Winkler. While WAC has organized art shows at different venues around the city, Derksen says a permanent home was needed.

"Nine years ago we started having shows just to get artists out of their basements, but this has proven that now we have a facility people know we are a real entity."

Since a soft open three weeks ago, he says the response has been positive, adding many have inquired about entering art shows and enrolling in art classes. He notes it's also encouraged more donations.

"Now that we actually have a venue started, there's more donors that are stepping up that want to assist us in finishing the project," he says.

Winkler Mayor Martin Harder explains it was a visitor from Austria, balking at the thought of seeing the Winkler water tower torn down, that ignited an idea to save a city icon. After Council decided it was a perfect partnership to allocate the dormant property to the Winkler Arts and Culture (WAC) group for a permanent art gallery.

"The venue is here and obviously we have the artists in the community who are going to appreciate it," Harder says. "It's a great, great asset for the City of Winkler."

Winkler Mayor Martin Harder presents WAC President Ray Derksen with a plaque to commemorate the opening.