As the construction site takes shape for the City of North Bay's twin-pad arena and community centre at the Steve Omischl Sports Complex on Lakeshore Drive, we get a view from up high of the area courtesy of BayToday contributor Neil Brown's drone (see above).
EllisDon is the design-builder. The new arena is expected to open in August 2026. Naming recognition and sponsorship opportunities are being explored for the North Bay Community and Recreation Centre project.
Mayor Peter Chirico spoke about the new arena at an event on Monday: "This is the first step in getting this project going. They're full at it. They've got full crews down there. They're still adhering to the timelines. My understanding is we'll be dropping the puck August 2026 and so looking forward to getting that up and running and now that it's coming out of the ground, it's real."
Some outbuildings used for storage have been demolished on the northern portion of the complex. Blasting operations are underway, with the City of North Bay warning residents of up to four blasts per day, scheduled to run until March 31.
The $63M twin pad arena and community centre was approved in November 2024 and a ground-breaking ceremony was held in December 2024.
The Recreation and Community Centre is being supported by a total federal contribution of over $35 million, covering more than 50 per cent of the project costs. This includes over $25.7 million from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program and over $9.4 million from the City’s strategic allocation of its annual Canada Community-Building Fund over several years.