Mackenzie Recreation Centre celebrates grand re-opening
On December 4, 2018, the Mackenzie Recreation Centre celebrated their grand re-opening. Since 2014, Northern Development has committed $744,355 for 11 projects with a total project budget of more than $9 million that modernized and expanded the services offered in the centre.
From building a multipurpose community hall with capacity for up to 500 people to replacing the pool boiler, a lot of tasks have been tackled to provide the residents of Mackenzie and the surrounding area with an attractive, accessible and safe place to recreate and build community.
“The Mackenzie Recreation Centre is truly the heart our community, a space for all residents and visitors young and old to grow and participate in a healthy and engaging lifestyle,” said Mayor Joan Atkinson of Mackenzie. “With the addition of the new community hall, climbing wall, active play area, as well as the improved fitness centre, reception and concession areas, our facility has become much better equipped to meet the needs of our community and grow our services substantially for the future. We feel fortunate to now have such state-of-the-art facilities and could not have completed this project without the generous support from our partners – the Government of Canada, Province of BC, MLA Mike Morris, Regional District of Fraser Fort George, McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest, and the Northern Development Initiative Trust.”
These modern amenities are a crucial part of making Mackenzie an attractive place to live, work and visit. The facility provides residents with an avenue to stay active during the cold and dark winter months and for children and youth to enjoy during the summer months.
Updating the recreation centre and adding the multipurpose community hall was a thoughtful response to the changing recreational and cultural needs of the community. The facility attracts increased revenues for the District of Mackenzie and creates more hosting opportunities for the community as the recreation centre offers unique opportunities, such as year-round ice and meeting space for 500 people, that are seldom found in small communities in Northern B.C.
Northern Development was pleased to support the community of Mackenzie as they rejuvenated one of their main public facilities. They received $242,605 for nine projects through the Trust’s Community Halls and Recreation Facilities program. Other funding for two major projects, totaling $497,750, was received through the Economic Diversification Infrastructure program.
