After a lengthy construction project that lasted well over seven months, the Paul J. Yakabuski Community Centre is now back up and running. The community came together on Sunday, November 20 to celebrate the grand-reopening of the facility at an event with demonstrations from user groups, speeches from municipal and provincial representatives, and a free public skate.

The ice pad had been failing for years when the project was started in April of 2022. Original to the building, the existing cooling system was not effectively keeping the ice cold and had reached the end of its service life. New plant equipment, associated equipment throughout the ice surface, and a newly poured concrete pad were all completed over the summer months, along with new boards, glass, and a score clock. Mayor Willmer, Councillors Blank, Maika, and Shulist, as well as local MPP John Yakabuski and Recreation and Community Development Coordinator Hannah Gutoskie were on hand November 20 to welcome users back to the facility. Thanks went out to the 2018-2022 Council, who approved and spearheaded the project, as well as arena and Township staff for their work in seeing the project through to completion. User groups were also given a special thanks for their patience as the project ran longer than expected.

The facility is now open for bookings and regular ice use. Free public skates are hosted most Sundays until the end of March for the community to come out and test out the new surface for themselves. To view construction updates from the spring all the way up to November, visit our Facebook page.

Contact: Hannah Gutoskie
recreation@madawaskavalley.ca / 613-756-2747 ext 220