Construction of Culture & Events Centre will start this summer

Whitecourt Town Council has approved the construction of the Culture & Events Centre, with construction to start this summer. By a unanimous vote of Council, the Town has entered into a $44,175,000 contract with Clark Builders to construct the facility.  With a two-year construction schedule, the Culture & Events Centre is scheduled to open at the end of 2026.

“The Culture & Events Centre represents a significant investment in our community.  It will vitalize the downtown, and put Whitecourt on the map as a cultural hub in north central Alberta,” said Whitecourt Mayor Tom Pickard.  “Facilities such as these are key to enhancing not just the community’s quality of life, but also driving economic development and investment attraction for years to come.”

The Culture & Events Centre project has been in development for several years, and has received significant funding support from both the federal and provincial governments of over $32 million.  It will be a landmark for the community, and will include three components:

• Arts, Culture and Convention Centre – A venue designed to host a variety of concerts, trade shows, festivals, events, conventions, and celebrations.  
• Library – The new library will provide increased floor area and space to better serve the region.  It will provide a safe and accessible place for the community to learn and gather, and increase operating efficiency.
• Town Administration Office – The new office space will enhance customer service and accessibility, and provide an administrative facility that can grow with the community.

After a competitive bid process, which involved the tendering of 32 scopes and receipt of 94 bids, the project came in at just over $44 million.

The Culture & Events Centre will be located in downtown Whitecourt, and during construction will inject over $7.9 million into the tourism and materials/equipment supply sectors.  Additionally, it is estimated that 25% of the project trade labour will be provided locally, which equates to approximately 100,000 worker hours ($5 million).  

Information on the Culture & Events Centre can be found at www.whitecourt.ca/live/culture-and-events-centre.  Construction updates, and sponsorship opportunities, will be advertised through the Centre’s Facebook and Instagram pages @CultureandEventsCentre.

The Town is grateful for all of the input provided through former Councils, steering committees, community forums, and individual comments as they all shaped the Centre into a true community hub for our future.