Bracebridge’s Muskoka Lumber Community Centre has been awarded the 2025 Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO) Award of Excellence for Facility Design.
According to town officials, the 113,000-square-foot facility’s key design features include a fully integrated community hub model, natural light and warm wood finishes, energy-efficient systems and sustainable elements, universal accessibility, and flexible, future-ready spaces.
Officials said the facility opened in 2024 after extensive public consultation and significant collaborative investment, which included over $17 million in federal and provincial funding and local fundraising, like the Best Seat in the House and Buy a Bay campaigns that raised more than $18,000 for the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation, deepening the project’s community impact.
“This generational facility has become a central gathering place and a source of immense community pride, raising over $4 million through a community sponsorship campaign that saw contributions from both residents and businesses of all sizes,” said officials.
