Wasaga Beach prepares for grand unveiling of the new twin-pad arena and library

Wasaga Beach is on the brink of unveiling its much-anticipated twin pad arena and library to serve the town's rapid population growth.

"We've seen our numbers quadruple over the years, and we believe another 10,000 to 15,000 over the next 10 years, and I think it will exceed that as well," said Mayor Brian Smith.

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The twin pad arena will have two Olympic-sized ice rinks, meeting rooms, a walking track, a small gymnasium, and a 20,000-square-foot public library, complete with a children's area, gaming zone, study rooms, a learning lab and a digital lab.

The Town took possession of the building on Saturday, and the finishing touches are now in the works on the facility.

"We’ve started to build the ice. We were very keen to get that organized. Furniture, fixtures and equipment takes a little bit of time. We have to become operational, customer service staff, we’re onboarding a number of staff so that we’re ready for the opening," noted Chris Roos, Town of Wasaga Beach.The twin-pad arena and library in Wasaga Beach, Ont., on Thurs., Nov. 23, 2023. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)

The grand opening will be marked by a festival, 'Breaking The Ice: A Celebration of Legends, Icons, and 50 Years of Sunshine."

"We plan to do that all on the Family Day weekend with 10 days of celebration, including the grand opening of the Wasaga Stars Arena and the Wasaga Beach Public Library. The Town of Wasaga Beach is very proud to announce that we’re going to have two of our main acts that weekend will be Canadian icons, the great Burton Cummings and the great Blue Rodeo," concluded the mayor.

Burton Cummings is scheduled to take the stage on February 17, followed by Blue Rodeo on February 18.

Tickets for both concerts can be purchased online, and officials say the facility is set to open to the public sometime in the new year.