Photo by Whitehorse Star
Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn and Tr'ondëk Hwëchin First Nation Chief Roberta Joseph
Government advances new recreation centre in Dawson
Plans for a new, long-awaited $60-million recreation centre in Dawson City are well underway.
Plans for a new, long-awaited $60-million recreation centre in Dawson City are well underway.
The Yukon government, City of Dawson and Tr'ondëk Hwëchin First Nation made that assurance in a joint statement released Monday afternoon.
A feasibility study for the project was completed last year.
Dawson municipal council proposed the building site at the base of the Dome Road on the corner of the North Klondike Highway.
The new recreation centre is now in the preliminary design stage. Construction is anticipated to start in 2024.
Years of changing permafrost conditions and soil settling have seriously damaged the town’s existing recreation centre.
The Yukon government said it’s committed to ensuring the replacement project proceeds. It will explore federal funding opportunities to help offset the cost.
“We are pleased to affirm our commitment to a new recreation centre in Dawson,” said Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn.
“We have long heard from the Yukoners in Dawson about the need for a new facility and I know that it will play a vital role in the health and well-being of Yukoners.
“We look forward to working closely with the Tr'ondëk Hwëchin First Nation and the City of Dawson to plan, design and build this new facility that will be an important gathering place in the community for many years to come.”
The government earmarked up to $25.5 million toward a new recreation centre in its current five-year capital plan.
Additional funding will be allocated once the final project budget is confirmed.
“It is great to see progress made on a new recreation centre for Dawson,” said Premier Sandy Silver, who is also the MLA for Klondike.
“Recreational facilities play a critical role in building stronger, more inclusive communities while providing an outlet for youth to develop new skills and have positive experiences.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the City of Dawson and the Tr'ondëk Hwëchin First Nation to build this facility that will serve Yukoners in Dawson for years to come,” the premier said.
The new centre is expected to include a skating rink, curling rink, gymnasium, indoor playground, concession and office space.
“Year-round recreational facilities are essential to healthy living in the North,” said Dawson Mayor Bill Kendrick.
“The City of Dawson welcomes the increased funding commitment from the Yukon government and will continue to work with our partners at the territorial and First Nation level in the planning of a complex that can meet and adapt to the needs of our growing community.”
Tr'ondëk Hwëchin First Nation Chief Roberta Joseph also expressed pleasure with the progress.
“For over a decade, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in have advocated for a new recreation centre,” she said.
“We’re pleased the Yukon government has made another promise for committed funding, and we look forward to working with Yukon and the municipality to see this project through.
“The recreation centre we have now is not in the safest condition, and there are limitations to its use,” Joseph pointed out.
“Our community is growing and is deserving of year-round facilities. Having positive activity in the community is important for our people today and in the future.”
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Comments (29)
Up 3 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Oct 10, 2022 at 9:42 am
@ Memory jog
A reminder back to you- the Dawson sewer fiasco was ordered by the court to proceed because the government of the day did not agree with the proposed solutions or the costs of them which the residents of Dawson also took issue with. There is lots of background media coverage available: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/start-working-on-mechanical-sewage-plant-judge-orders-dawson-yukon-officials-1.701337
Up 6 Down 6
Memory Jog on Oct 8, 2022 at 10:16 pm
@Comen Sense
You do realize that the failed sewage lagoon and failed current rec centre were projects of the last Yukon Party government and had nothing to do with the Liberals right? Maybe you are too young to remember, but that government included Currie Dixon, Scott Kent, Wade Istchenko, Patti Macleod, Brad Cathers and Stacy Hassard. Geraldine Van Bibber was working in their office at the time as well I believe.
Up 4 Down 0
To 'YukonFreeloaders' on Oct 8, 2022 at 4:28 pm
Thanks! Much appreciated - keep it coming.
Up 5 Down 4
Patti Eyre on Oct 8, 2022 at 2:49 pm
@Dave: hey all you kids and parents, just do stuff outside, organized sports in your back yard without any infrastructure. Let’s do away with paved streets, cars don’t need that, dirt works just fine.
Up 1 Down 1
John on Oct 8, 2022 at 2:27 pm
@ Hobo
Best you go back and read your history sonny. You are wrong...
Up 4 Down 2
Hobo on Oct 8, 2022 at 6:21 am
@Yukon Freeloaders: while I 100% agree with you, I'd direct your attention to history and remind you that the money's Transfer Agreement was the brainchild of MP Nielsen and the then governing party (PC, circa 1984-85). Harper could have stopped it; I wonder why he didn't.
Up 17 Down 4
Dave on Oct 7, 2022 at 3:44 pm
Patti, kids can play on a frozen back yard rink and ride their bikes in the summer for exercise just like kids without 60 million dollar rinks do everywhere else. The price of this boondoggle is out of touch with reality.
Up 6 Down 18
Patti Eyre on Oct 6, 2022 at 2:47 pm
Kids need sports in their lives, parents need it, too. This is a great move for healthy living and healthy families
Up 20 Down 7
comen sense on Oct 6, 2022 at 11:36 am
Failed sewage lagoon, failed current recreational center doesn't the government have a budget cap on the amount of tax-paying dollars they have on such a small town, oh well Sandy will have something to do.
Up 28 Down 4
John on Oct 6, 2022 at 11:33 am
@ Juniper
Yes you are correct. I might add - don't expect one penny for either the capital or ongoing O&M from the Tr'ondëk Hwëchin First Nation. It is not, nor will it ever happen. They will even get user fees waived. Any bets anyone? Another grab from the "settlers" - cash cows...
Up 27 Down 9
Yukon Freeloaders on Oct 6, 2022 at 11:08 am
So you freeloaders in the Yukon are getting yet another expensive toy courtesy of my 13% HST and all the other ridiculous taxes I pay in southern Canada. Meanwhile no one in my family can find a family doctor, my local hospitals emergency room is now closed more than it is open, the local schools say they can’t afford teachers and the main road here has deteriorated and destroys vehicle tires because the province says they can’t afford new pavement.
Southern Canadians including myself are getting increasingly pissed off that we pay to support you welfare case northerners while we go without. Ask me if we get a 60 million dollar anything where I live with our local population that makes Yukons look like a rounding error.
Up 21 Down 0
Do It Right This Time on Oct 5, 2022 at 11:34 pm
Perhaps this time the govt will insist on competent design engineers, instead of ones who put heated crawlspaces in permafrost, along with the same "freeze pipes" on the outside that failed at the RossR school. Heated crawlspace next to seasonally refrigerated concrete slab on permafrost was a predictable plan for failure one might expect from amateurs. The govt should have sued.
Up 16 Down 7
Yukon Proud on Oct 5, 2022 at 10:28 pm
I agree with all of the other commenters. Dawson does not need or deserve this rec centre. This money pit is just one more project that the Yukon Party will need to cancel when they come back to power. Hopefully Kate White pulls the plug on this government sooner rather than later.
Up 6 Down 9
Observer on Oct 5, 2022 at 6:47 pm
All the usual right wing supporters just settle down now. We have a few years before the next territorial election, not sure you are going to be able to maintain that pace for that period of time.
Up 19 Down 6
Juniper Jackson on Oct 5, 2022 at 3:12 pm
People do realize this isn't a gift, right? People that work, all over the country are going to have to pay for it. Dawson will be paying as well.
Up 22 Down 8
Groucho d;North on Oct 5, 2022 at 12:00 pm
@Confusion in the narrative
Don't drink the Climate Koolaid- its has dangerous amounts of hyperbole in it.
Up 25 Down 7
Wilf Carter on Oct 5, 2022 at 9:56 am
Here we go again promotions without any money other than lots more debt that Yukoners will have to pay and how do we that cut what services? With interest rates going through the roof by 350% cost of building is not sustainable.
Up 30 Down 6
Jim on Oct 5, 2022 at 9:50 am
60 million for a rec center? For how many people exactly? Is this a going away present for Sandy? Also always surprised by the named partners. Is the First Nation band and the city of Dawson going to infuse some partnership money into it? Or are they just in it for the photo op?
Up 25 Down 9
Disequilibrium in the Cerebrum on Oct 4, 2022 at 11:10 pm
Next level hypocrisy? The three Northern Chief’’s declare a climate change emergency while explaining how the buildings in their communities are sinking, twisting, and becoming unstable due to the melting permafrost and then support a 60,000,000 dollar sports and rec centre with all the industry and material consumption that it will require - WOW! Just wow!
This is absolutely irresponsible in an era when the Libs have also declared a climate change emergency yet spend billions and billions on vanity projects, legacy projects, and other frills like jetting around the globe embarrassing the hell out of Canada while calling it down, acting like drunken children with a demonstrated lack of regard for decency, respect, and protocol.
Screech, screech - Anthropomorphic climate change… We’re all gonna die! We have 12 years left… Screech… Stop the economy, redistribute wealth, build mega projects on unstable land - FFS! How about we dispense with the traditional knowledge and use some traditional wisdom instead?!?!
Don’t do stupid shyt! Oh, snap… Liberal voters, damn!
Uh, yah… Like we’re in this emergency state so uh - Shut down the economy, hit them with propaganda, lock them down, cause mental illness with mandates and fear, fear, fear while doing the opposite of what we tell them to do, and if they object - Mock them for their racism, genderisms, misogyny and on and on - Right wing extremists believe in reality while good lefties buy the narrative of our fantasy as the commons disappears from beneath their feet - Attention all Caucasians - Go back to Europe - Get out!
Up 23 Down 6
Climate change on Oct 4, 2022 at 8:17 pm
I wish when we approved these mega projects that come with a pile of emissions the government would inform us to the impact this building will have on co2 emissions. Where will the materials come from? How were they manufactured?
Up 20 Down 8
SOS! on Oct 4, 2022 at 7:28 pm
I guess the Libtards’ only hope to hang onto Dawson is the First Nation’s support! Dicky Mostyn sure had a go at John Ostashek when the Yukon Party campaigned on a swimming pool for Old Crow. It didn’t work out for John, either, if memory serves. But Dicky’s got some moderate to serious memory loss going on these days. Besides, like the Games, the gutting of ATIPP and so much more, it’s different when Dicky do!
Up 25 Down 9
Dallas on Oct 4, 2022 at 6:47 pm
I see the liberal government and Sandy Sliver are puckering up and are gonna start giving hickies to all the constituents in Dawson, careful there is a fine line between giving hickies and brown nosing….
Up 33 Down 5
Whitehorse - with a W on Oct 4, 2022 at 6:36 pm
60 million?
I’ll lay odds it’s final price will be over 100 million.
Up 24 Down 8
Chip on Oct 4, 2022 at 6:30 pm
A parting thanks from Dawson folks before he leaves the sinking boat.
Up 31 Down 6
Barbara on Oct 4, 2022 at 5:10 pm
Why don’t you build a bridge and fix the highway, instead?
Up 25 Down 9
Confusion in the narrative… An incongruence between words and behaviour… on Oct 4, 2022 at 3:56 pm
STFD! How many mega structures can the Yukon endure with our climate change emergency emissions targets - 0! FFS - The internal contradictions are irreconcilable to anyone who does not have a Liberal brain - Unbelievable!!!
I thought the territory was melting… Mountains and cliffs crumbling around us, CO2 poisoning the environment (lol), with sea levels rising etc… What gives?
Have we not been on the brink of death… Plummeting to self-destruction in 12 years for the last 60-70 years or so!
!
Up 28 Down 9
Another One? on Oct 4, 2022 at 3:53 pm
The constant rebuilding of Dawsons recreation centre is exceeded only by the perpetual reconstruction of the towns sewer and water systems. This will be the third recreation centre in recent memory as these facilities costing tens of millions of dollar seem to have a minuscule lifespan. One thing we can probably assume is that this building will end up mired in lawsuits before completion just like the last one was. Let’s name it the ‘Sandy Silver Super Skating Structure’.
Up 17 Down 8
Wilf Carter on Oct 4, 2022 at 3:43 pm
They promote everything but are not going to be around to deliver.
Up 29 Down 11
Yukoner on Oct 4, 2022 at 2:20 pm
Naming options include "Premiers Parting Gift Rec Centre" and "Silvers Slippery Centre" $60 Million.. bet it will be at least $100 before all is said and done.