District To Manage And Operate South Cariboo Centre April 1st

The District of 100 Mile House and Cariboo Regional District have agreed to enter a partnership to operate and manage the South Cariboo Rec Centre.

The Centre is owned by the CRD and has been managed by Canlan Sports since it was constructed to replace the Stan Halcro Arena in 2003.

The management contract with Canlan was allowed to expire at the end of its current term on March 31 2024.

“So it was felt that we could do a local perspective on it and really and get it back in local hands and see if we could get more events happening there.” Mayor Maureen Pinkney said, “Currently we already have services agreements, so whether its the District of 100 Mile or the Cariboo Region District that owns and the other one manages it for them, we have service agreements. So we already have both the money and the agreements with both the ball fields and the soccer fields so it’s more of that, us doing it locally and providing jobs here.”

Pinkney said there is an advantage of the CRD and the District taking on this responsibility.

“We see when its being used and not being used and we can encourage local users and it does create the jobs here in stead of Vancouver. Most of the staff is local and they’re great staff so we’re obviously going to try to retain those people. The administration, a lot of it, is out of head office and if we can keep that money locally and have another person hired here to do it and the incorporate all the other facilities we look after like Martin Exeter Hall and 100 Mile Community Hall.”

Pinkney noted between those three different venues they have a much better way of really promoting big things that don’t normally come here.

A 5-year management agreement for the South Cariboo Recreation Centre is under development and expected to be endorsed by the Regional District Board and the District of 100 Mile House Council in March.

Once approved the District will take a lead role in managing and operating the recreation centre on April first of this year.

“We recognize and express our sincere appreciation to Canlan and its local staff for their effort and performance of the past 20-years.” CRD Board Chair Margo Wagner stated in a release, “This is an amazing facility and we continually hear positive comments from out-of-town visitors how impressive it is.”