The excitement for Elkford’s new community centre has been amplified after the official ground breaking ceremonies have taken place.
Many residents and key local figures arrived in Elkford to attend and speak at this monumental event. The community centre and the development of Elkford were acknowledged and celebrated.
The Elkford community centre has been a vision in progress for Elkford’s mayor and council for many years and this occasion culminated all of the hard work and planning. “This is such an exiting time for Elkford,” said Mayor Dean McKerracher. “We are all honoured and grateful to all those attending.”
The location where the community centre will sit is that of Elkford’s former elementary school. On August 11 2007, the school caught fire and burned down. Since then the District accepted an insurance settlement that will allow the District to construct a much needed replacement building. Insurance proceeds totaling over $3.5 million will be paid to the District providing the District with the financial certainty it needs to begin construction. “It was a very sad day when the school burned. The building was 40 years old, and a part of Elkford’s history,” said McKerracher.
Some key features of the community centre will be that it will be easily accessible for all members of the community. “I have watched mothers carry their children up the stairs to where the playschool is now located. When this new building is complete, everything will be on ground level,” said McKerracher. The centre will be environmentally friendly, being named as only a few of its kind in North America for the use of cross laminated timber technology. The building will include a 6340 sq ft auditorium that will seat 300 people, a 730 sq ft commercial kitchen, a 980 sq ft multipurpose community room, a lobby and reception gallery, a 1900 sq ft playschool with enclosed playground, and a 1350 sq ft visitor information centre. It will be made of 70 per cent wood and have an open beam look. The project is expected to cost approximately $6 million.
The Elkford Historical Society is currently working on accumulating photos and artifacts that will decorate the buildings interior.
McKerracher announced that the completion date is expected to be December 1. “We have already promised to hold Christmas parties for Teck,” he said.