Community Centre update: forming the foundations of our community
There’s a lot going on at the Community Centre construction site! It’s so exciting to see the building as it is formed from the ground up. Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen land clearing, excavation and blasting of rock, and removal of materials to make way for the Community Centre to be built. We’re starting to be able to envision what it will look like when it rises to become the heart of the community. Here are some highlights of the progress we’ve made so far:
- Land cleared and excavated
- Blasting on south side complete
- Designed septic system modifications
- Foundation forming in progress and concrete being poured
Next up we will be continuing to form the foundation and pouring foundation walls. Throughout construction, we will continue to look for additional opportunities to bring costs down whenever possible. An example of this is the siding – we’ve changed from cedar siding to hardie plank, which is both less expensive and better suited for FireSmart construction principles.
Fun fact: some of the rock removed from the blasting at the Community Centre site was repurposed for another road construction project, resulting in overall cost savings for the Municipality’s capital budget.
The Advisory Design Panel, a committee that makes recommendations on the design of new buildings in the Snug Cove village area, will be convening a meeting soon to look at swatches and decide on the exterior colour of the hardie plank siding. These local experts use the Snug Cove Design Guidelines to ensure new buildings fit into the overall aesthetic of the Cove.
Fundraising update: we’re close!
The Community Centre’s funding strategy is multi-faceted, with 55% of the capital costs being funded from Federal and Provincial grants, 28% from Municipal dollars, and the remaining 17% from community donations. We’ve already collected over $1.29 million in generous donations, but there are still opportunities to help get the Community Centre to its capital budget of $18.7 million.
Sponsor a seat!
The Community Centre will have a Large Multi-Purpose and Performing Arts Room with 180 retractable seats. These seats will host our community for years to come at theatrical performances, all kinds of concerts, movies, cultural events, conference lectures, graduations, town halls, and the list goes on.
For $2500, you can sponsor a seat. This includes an engraved plate on the seat with your name, or a dedication to someone else.
Try before you buy! There are two seats on display at the Hearth Gallery, where you can take a look and try them out.
Contact finance@bimbc.ca to make a donation.
Thanks for your support
We’d like to acknowledge, with gratitude, the Hearth Gallery and artists Barney Bentall and Lawrence Hill for their evening of story and song event with proceeds donated to the Community Centre. Lawrence read from his new book “Beatrice and Croc Harry” and Barney shared songs from his new album “Cosmic Dreamer.”
The Community Centre will be the home for many events like these, sharing cultural and artistic experiences and bringing our community together to celebrate.
Message from Mayor Ander
I can’t adequately express how happy I am when I go past the Community Centre site and see the beginnings of a building. We’ve come so far in the last couple of years, in a project that has been in the works for decades. Bowen is one of the few communities across Canada that does not have a dedicated community hall or publicly owned meeting space. It’s a long held collective dream to have a place to come together.
Today, Bowen residents are set to realize this long-standing vision – a purpose-built Community Centre that will meet demand for new and expanded programs and services for children and seniors, community gathering, performing arts and creative spaces and fitness amenities. All this under one roof above Snug Cove.
We aren’t just building a Community Centre, we are strengthening our community and leaving a legacy for future generations of Bowen residents.
Mayor Gary Ander