$78M community centre in Bracebridge nears completion

The Muskoka Lumber Community Centre will soon be completed after breaking ground in the spring of 2022. The Mayor of Bracebridge, Rick Maloney, said the centre has three large components.

“Of course, the arena, the Muskoka Lumber Arena, the Coulson Family Bracebridge Library, and a new component, which is a first for Muskoka, is a new indoor field house. The Proline Rentals Fieldhouse is a double gym that will allow us to extend the sports that tend to be summer sports and also offer opportunities for other events and event space within the facility,” said Maloney.

Maloney said this project was a significant undertaking, but the centre will soon be open to the public.

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“It’s a large project; not every community replaces all of its arenas and libraries. We have one of each, and we’re replacing 180 years of infrastructure. The ice is in, so on August 6, we have the opportunity to start fulfilling our commitments to our existing renters. We expect the library to be open to the public in September,” said Maloney.

The overall price tag for this facility was $78 million.

“Our sponsors, who have invested almost four million dollars sponsorship investment into this facility,” said Maloney. “About 17 million dollars has come from the province of Ontario, half million from the federal government, and municipal contributions of 61 million dollars, that makes up the 78 million dollar price tag.”

Maloney said towards the end of August, the centre will open to the general public, with the official grand opening and ribbon cutting in October.