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Revitalized Grand Valley Community Centre reopens as modern community hub

March 12, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes

The Grand Valley and District Community Centre has officially reopened following a major multi-year expansion and rehabilitation project, marking a significant milestone for the Town of Grand Valley and its surrounding municipalities.

Meghan Townsend, CAO for the Town of Grand Valley, welcomed guests and officials to the reopening ceremony.

“I’m very happy that all of you are here to celebrate this grand opening of the newly expanded and rehabilitated Grand Valley and District Community Centre,” she said. “In 2019, members of the Grand Valley and District Community Centre board met with Town of Grand Valley staff to review a new opportunity to apply for funding to rehabilitate the community centre.”

After the town applied to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s Community, Culture and Recreation stream, they secured substantial federal and provincial support.

Throughout the overhaul process, the original ice surface, cooling system, change rooms and washrooms were upgraded.

Grand Valley Mayor Steve Solomon reflected on the enormous workload required to complete this project and congratulated not just town staff but also provincial and federal partners who helped see it through.

“I will thank Sylvia [Jones] and the Government of Ontario–Government of Canada, as they both came in with almost a million dollars each for this project, which is a real contribution to the cultural vibrancy of this town,” he said. “The Government of Ontario–Government of Canada, decided that we were worthy of keeping an arena here, because it could have easily been gone. But now we do have a new place where the community can come and gather. Thank you all again for your work.”

Phase one of the project, launched in 2021, focused on the core arena infrastructure. The concrete ice pad was replaced, the arena layout was redesigned with new boards, glass and player benches, and the piping system beneath the ice was upgraded.

Early accessibility improvements were also introduced to improve safety and ease of use for participants and spectators.

Phase two finalized the broader expansion of the facility. Six new change rooms, accessible washrooms and referee rooms were added, along with roof repairs, exterior wall insulation and resurfacing. The construction, which began in 2025, has now reached substantial completion, transforming the building into a modern, inclusive hub for sport and recreation.

The renewed arena is designed to better serve all age groups and reflects the growing demand for girls’ and women’s hockey by providing improved dressing room capacity and layout.

Local leaders emphasized that the project demonstrates the impact of collaboration among federal, provincial and municipal governments, as well as the dedication of the community centre board, contractors and arena staff.

Local MPP and Ontario’s Health Minister Sylvia Jones was also in attendance to congratulate the completion of the project, and said that local health is directly impacted by the availability of facilities such as this one.

“I am very pleased that we were able to have three levels of government come together, and, of course, the community center board to have this project come to completion,” she said. “In healthcare, I often get asked, what about the prevention piece? Well, this is the prevention piece. You know, we are making sure that we have facilities in our community for our young people, for our seniors, for our adults, to be able to continue to stay and be healthy and do that in our own communities.”

“So congratulations. I think it is a real indication of when governments of different levels work together, great things can happen.”

With the grand opening complete, the facility is expected to host year-round activities, from winter skating and hockey to potential summer programs such as lacrosse, strengthening Grand Valley’s role as a regional community gathering place.

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