Now that things are beginning to heat up across the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District, construction season is in full swing.
With that, the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre is currently being developed in Hazelton.
An inside look at the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre under construction in Hazelton @DonaldsonDoug pic.twitter.com/dSK1PnL4md
— The Moose (@TheMooseBVL) June 15, 2018
The project is roughly at its midway point and Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development, Doug Donaldson, stopped into Hazelton today to check things out.
“It’s really good to get out on the ground and see the progress that is being made. The construction of the new Upper Skeena Recreation Centre is a great example of how the Government of BC is investing in rural communities. As a Forest Minister, it’s fantastic to see BC wood being used on a BC building in an innovative way. This building will certainly be an activities hub for the entire Upper Skeena region.”
The building frame is being constructed of what is known as Glued Laminated Timber.
The cost and lifespan are said to be identical to that of a steel structure. The only issue is the timber system takes longer to construct.
Donaldson continued on by saying these types of projects are a great investment in rural communities.
“Construction projects like this are so important for rural development. If you do not have these types of facilities, it’s really hard to attract people to live here. Rural communities such as Hazelton, deserve these types of facilities within their community. Rural communities contribute a lot to the Provincial Government and it’s great to see this project coming along nicely.”
The Upper Skeena Recreation Centre is said to be more than just a hockey rink going up, as it will provide area residents with a little bit of hope. The concept from the beginning has been a holistic approach to promote healthy living for the community. There are so many opportunities with this building and pictures don’t do justice for the size of the structure.
Construction on the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre is going according to plan and is scheduled to open in late November, early December.
Heart of the Hazeltons Chair, Peter Newbery, gave his take on the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre earlier this week. His story can be found here.