Construction has begun in Invermere on a new flexible, multi-purpose community hall. The Columbia Valley Centre will be able to accommodate as many as 500 people, will house the local library and will offer spaces that can be reconfigured to meet various types of needs, including conferences and weddings, arts performances and film presentations, and martial arts practices and competitions. The building is being funded in part by $500,000 from the Trust.
Located on the site of the old David Thompson Secondary School, the centre will replace the Lake Windermere Community Hall, which was built in 1946 and is now too small and outdated to meet the community’s needs. The new centre is slated to open in fall 2017.
“The new multi-use centre is going to be an incredible and long-term asset and community gathering place for Invermere and the Columbia Valley,” said Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft. “The new space is going to replace aging structures and expand the size and quality of everything from community dinners, to arts and culture performances, to our potential to host banquets and conventions. As a community hub and an economic driver, this facility will be a game changer for Invermere.”
“The new centre will give residents more options when it comes to finding space to do the activities that are important to them,” said Lynda Lafleur, Columbia Basin Trust Manager, Community Relationships North. “The facility will also make it possible for the community to host larger events that will draw people to the region and boost the economy.”
Learn more in this news release and on the centre’s website.
