An official ground-breaking ceremony will be held at the site of Bracebridge’s future Muskoka Lumber Community Centre on Thursday, April 28.
The ceremony will start at 1 PM on Salmon Avenue, which is next to Gagnon’s Your Independent Grocer.
Aquicon Construction Company Ltd., the contractor that will be tasked with building the community centre, will begin moving onto the site on April 30 with construction set to start on Monday, May 2.
The company was awarded a $59 million contract in December 2021. Town staff had to work with the company to shave $8 million off their initial bid after they submitted an estimate well over the town’s estimate of $45 million. In a staff report submitted to council last December, it was said that the changes were made without “compromising the facility program.”
Fowler Construction was awarded the site enabling works contract in June 2021 and began preparing the site for Aquicon soon after. Colliers Project Leaders is overseeing the project for the Town of Bracebridge. Melanie Morris joined the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre Steering Committee Tuesday and said that Fowler finished their work on April 20.
The 126,680 square foot structure will include a new arena, library, community auditorium, an indoor multi-sport fieldhouse, outdoor play spaces, and walking trails. According to Morris, it’s slated to be open to the public by the summer of 2024.