Bracebridge council has formed a task force dedicated to planning for the opening of the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre (MLCC) in the summer of 2024.
Mayor Rick Maloney, Deputy Mayor Brenda Rhodes and Coun. Barry Hammond were given the thumbs up to serve on it during the Aug. 1 General Committee meeting and later approved during the town’s Aug. 9 council meeting.
Maloney, who put forward their names to serve on the task force, said Rhodes and Hammond bring an “impressive and unique perspective” to the task force.
A member from the Bracebridge Library board and a member of Bracebridge’s recreation department will also be chosen at a later date to be part of the task force.
Other members include Joanna Wolochatiuk, Acting Chair of the Bracebridge Library Board, Crystal Bergstrome, Chief Librarian, Stephen Rettie, Braebridge’s Chief Administrative Officer, and Cindy O’Regan, Bracebridge’s Director of Recreation.
The task force will work together to provide a report to council with a plan for the grand opening, ideas to get the community involved, and how to promote the celebration.
According to a report by Cindy O’Regan, Director of Recreation, it’s estimated the grand opening celebration will cost around $12,000, but she notes that number could change during deliberations for the town’s 2024 budget.
“In the journey of the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre, this is one report that marks that we’re getting close to the finish line, touch wood,” said Maloney, adding he’s excited to be preparing for the grand opening.
In Jan. 2023, a report by StrategyCorp Inc. said the town will face “significant debt” in the next few years with it specifically mentioning the construction of the MLCC as one of the reasons.
Aquicon Construction was approved to undertake building the MLCC in Dec. 2021. However, their bid came in more than $20 million more than staff estimated construction would cost at just over $66 million. Town staff worked with Aquicon to shave $8 million off the price tag.
