Forty-Year-Old Arena in Madawaska Valley Gets Major Upgrade

The Paul J. Yakabuski Community Centre in Barry’s Bay is a mainstay in the local community.

Home to an indoor ice pad and upstairs lounge area, the community centre hosts private events and sports clubs including youth hockey, sledge hockey and figure skating.

The Township of Madawaska Valley is in the midst of a major overhaul at the arena, a project supported by the Canada Community-Building Fund.

A new ice pad, rink boards and scoreboards are all being installed this summer in the arena. This is the first major investment at the arena since it was constructed 40 years ago.

This project will improve mechanical and energy efficiency for the facility, and substantially improve accessibility for the many user groups, spanning minors to senior groups. The improved rink boards will make sport more accessible for sledge hockey team as well.

Upgrades at the arena will be complete by September 2022, just in time for the winter sport season.