RRC Takes Recreation Excellence Regional

The RRC was created by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) Council in October, 2012 to design, build, steward and operate several state-of-the-art community recreation, sport and event facilities and venues. The RRC was officially incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act on June 10, 2013.

Working in collaboration with the RMWB and with the communities it serves, the RRC and its ONE Team builds upon the success of MacDonald Island Park, Canada’s largest community recreation and events experience, in order to lead and foster an approach of excellence in service delivery and facilities throughout the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, as well as supporting and enhancing initiatives already in place.

Aligned with the RMWB Municipal Development Plan, new initiatives are being developed utilizing the expertise of the entire region. As a result, the RRC will expand and develop services offered in cooperation with various sport, recreation and community associations to similar quality standards while adapting to suit the needs of each community. The facilities, designed to meet the needs of a growing population, encompass both those within the urban area of Fort McMurray as well as facilities in Anzac, Conklin, and Fort Chipewyan.

Alongside MacDonald Island, which includes the Suncor Community Leisure Centre and Miskanaw Golf Club, and Shell Place, currently under construction at MacDonald Island, these facilities will form the foundation for a new era in community recreation, sport and events in the Wood Buffalo region.

Under the guidance of Tim Reid, formerly Chief Operating Officer of MacDonald Island Park Corporation and now Chief Executive Officer of the RRC, and the RRC Board of Directors led by Chair Mike Cachia, the RRC will strive to provide a standard of excellence in service across the Wood Buffalo region.

“Our guiding vision is to make a difference every day for our region,” said Cachia. “Through innovation, sustainability, flexibility, engagement, commitment to fostering and strengthening stakeholder relations and a team of employees known as ‘ONE Team’, our goal is to develop and deliver excellence in recreation, sport and event experiences in every community we serve.”

The newest of the facilities under the umbrella of the RRC is the Anzac Recreation Centre presented by Nexen Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited. This facility is located in the community of Anzac on the western shore of Willow Lake, a hamlet of approximately 800 people. The community has potential for rapid growth due to developments in the region. The facility design was based on the feasibility study conducted in July, 2010, and includes an arena, fitness centre, field house, elder and youth activity spaces, indoor child playground, running track and more, has been created to meet the needs of a community that is anticipated to see rapid growth over the next decade.

The recently-opened Anzac Recreation Centre presented by Nexen Energy, offers new recreation options for residents of Anzac as well as those from the surrounding communities. The state-of-the-art recreation centre includes programming designed to meet the specific Anzac as well as those from the surrounding communities. The state-of-the-art recreation centre will include programming designed to meet the specific interests and needs of the community while continuing the mandate of excellence in service delivery through ONE Team staff members committed to improving quality of life in the region. The Anzac Recreation Centre is anticipated to serve the community of Anzac as it grows to a projected population of 8,000 residents by 2030.

Currently under development in Fort Chipewyan is the Archie Simpson Arena Aquatic Expansion, which when completed in 2015 will bring excellence in aquatic recreation and programming to the community of Fort Chipewyan under the operation of the RRC.

“One of the most significant benefits of our mandate will be the ability of users to access any facility under our mandate through a single pass,” said Reid. “A membership in Anzac or Fort Chipewyan means that an individual can access recreation options at the Suncor Community Leisure Centre in Fort McMurray with the same membership pass, and expect the same excellence of service and experience in all locations.”

Possible future facilities will include the proposed Conklin Community Recreation Centre and the proposed Northside Community Recreation Centre in Fort McMurray. Both of these proposed facilities are in the community engagement phase of development as the RRC works with the community and the RMWB to develop recommendations that could be presented to RMWB council.

“The mission of the RRC is to create a passionate team committed to quality of life in our region, using innovative leadership to inspire exceptional memories and build fun,” said Reid. “The goal of the RRC is to take the experience of excellence so many have come to associate with MacDonald Island Park and bring that to the entire Wood Buffalo region, every day and in every facility we operate. It is a mandate that we believe is not only achievable but our responsibility to deliver, and we look forward to the opportunity to serve the communities of the Wood Buffalo region. Thanks to Mayor Melissa Blake, RMWB Council, RMWB administration, and most importantly the community members of the RMWB, we have an opportunity to create a new standard of excellence in recreation, sport and events across the region.”