ELORA – The Township of Centre Wellington needs more recreation facilities like the Jefferson Elora Community Centre, said mayor Shawn Watters at the official reopening ceremony of the newly renovated arena.
Politicians and the public came out Friday to celebrate and skate at the Jefferson Elora Community Centre, which was closed for nearly nine months in 2023 for extensive renovations including:
- Replacement of the concrete ice pad, arena boards, protective glass and ice making equipment
- Updated refrigeration/mechanical room and equipment
- Accessibility upgrades including dressing rooms, viewing area, washrooms, entrances and doors
- Renovated lobby for improved traffic flow and customer service
The total project cost was approved at $4.9 million which included $1.9 million in funding from the federal government and $1.6 million coming from the province.
In his speech, Watters said it was refreshing to see the nearly 50-year-old arena rejuvenated rather than torn down.
He, like many others in attendance, recalled spending countless hours at this arena either playing hockey or watching his children as a parent.
“It’s always about people, it’s about community getting together and what this facility represents is about the community getting together,” Watters said.
That community is getting larger, set to nearly double over the coming decades, a point not lost on the mayor.
“We need more of these types of facilities in our community,” Watters said to applause.
In an interview, township staff said there is nothing official planned in terms of more recreation facilities but confirmed the parks and recreation master plan is being updated this year which will include community engagement.
“We will ask the community what we feel we need as our priorities and as we grow to 55,000 people, what are we going to need over the next 25 years?” said Pat Newson, township managing director of community services. “We can also ask as part of that, where should everything go?”
Matt Tucker, the township’s manager of facilities, said there is space to twin the ice pad at the Jefferson Elora Community Centre if that's what the study determines is best.
For now, residents once again have an ice pad in Elora with nice updates according to Gord Tucker, manager of the arena when it first opened in 1976 and father to Matt.
“Now it’s so open and bright compared to before, you come in here now it’s very impressive,” Gord said. “The flooring here, we used to have tile here, now kids can walk with their skates and not have a problem with the flooring. They’ve just done a great job, it’s nice to see the progress that’s come along.”
