The Muskoka Lumber Community Centre is an approximately 125,000 sf. multi-use civic facility that brings together recreation, culture, and community programming within a single, fully integrated building. Constructed by Aquicon for the Town of Bracebridge, the project replaces the former Memorial Arena and historic public library with a modern community destination designed to support both current needs and future growth. Major building components include a 1,000-seat NHL-sized arena, the 25,000 sf. Coulson Family Bracebridge Library, a community auditorium, an indoor multi-sport fieldhouse, and a shared public lobby that connects the facility’s various uses. The site also includes outdoor play areas, walking trails, 330 surface parking stalls, and provisions for a future second rink

A key complexity of the project was advancing a large and programmatically diverse facility while addressing significant cost and site-related challenges. Working closely with the Town and consultant team, Aquicon participated in an intensive pre-construction value engineering process that identified practical construction alternatives and helped reduce costs while preserving the design intent and overall community vision. During construction, Aquicon also managed unforeseen groundwater and geotechnical conditions, including the redesign of the site’s stormwater management system, without compromising schedule or quality.

The completed facility delivers a broad range of civic, recreational, and cultural functions within a cohesive, contemporary building designed as a central gathering place for the Bracebridge community.