Construction of North Bay's new Community & Recreation Centre continues to make steady progress, with the project remaining on schedule and on budget as work moves toward substantial completion in August 2026.
On Schedule
Construction remains on track for substantial completion in August 2026 while staying within the approved budget.
Construction progress
Located at the Omischl Sports Complex, the $63-million facility is supported with more than $35 million in federal funding, including $25.7 million from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program and $9.4 million through the City's Canada Community-Building Fund allocation, along with $1.5 million from casino revenue-sharing contributions.
Construction began in December 2024 following Council's approval of a progressive design-build approach, which provided greater cost certainty through a Guaranteed Maximum Price for the project.
Major construction milestones have now been completed, including the building foundation, structural steel and exterior envelope. Crews are currently focused on interior finishing work, rink floor installation, landscaping and commissioning.
Substantial completion remains on track for August 2026.
Budget update
The project remains within its approved budget.
To date, approximately $540,000 of the project's $1.065 million contingency fund has been used to address unforeseen construction requirements, leaving roughly $525,000 available for the remainder of the project.
The project team also reports that proactive planning has successfully avoided any tariff-related costs to date.
Designed for the future
The new Community & Recreation Centre is being built to meet the Canadian Green Building Council's Zero Carbon Building Design Standard, supporting the City's commitment to sustainability while reducing long-term operating costs.
Energy-efficient features include:
- Waste heat recovery from the refrigeration plant
- Air-source heat pumps and an electric boiler system
- High-performance building envelope and insulation
- Infrastructure for future solar panels and battery energy storage
- Future electric vehicle charging stations
These features will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating a modern, resilient recreation facility for the community.
Looking ahead
As construction enters its final stages, work will continue on interior finishes, landscaping and building systems ahead of substantial completion later this summer.
The new Community & Recreation Centre will provide accessible recreation opportunities for residents of all ages while supporting community events, local sport organizations and sport tourism for years to come.