Fort McMurray will soon have best rec centre in Canada

Where else but in Fort McMurray can you go for a swim in the Syncrude aquatic centre, workout in the Total fitness centre, go for a skate at the Canadian Natural Resources arena and take in an Aerosmith concert at Nexen CNOOC stage at Shell Place?

The northern Alberta community is not only the focal point of the oilsands, it's also the beneficiary of a hefty amount of donations and sponsorship from some of the world's largest energy companies that operate in the region.

Take the city'srecreation complex which is currently undergoing a $127-million expansion project.Just about every venue is sponsored by an energy company at theSuncorCommunity Leisure Centre. Construction is nearly complete on Shell Place, an expansion that will dramatically increase the size of the recreation facility, on the west side of FortMcMurray'sdowntown.

Massive corporate support

"It's so different from when I was younger," says KatieKirschner, who was born and raised in FortMcMurray. She's at MacDonald Island Parkat leastfive times a week spinning, swimming, or running. "It's a place for anyone to do pretty much anything."

All the corporate support has helped create one of the best recreation facility in the country. The facility already featuresarenas, curling sheets, swimming pools, and gymnasiums. There's even a public library, art gallery and indoor children's playground.

The expansion is already leading to more entertainment for the oilboomtown, with the community expected to hosttwoCFLgames this year and an outdoor concert byrock bandAerosmith.

"We've come to refer to this as the heart of the community," says Theresa Wells, a spokesperson for the leisure centre. "That might sound like a hokey nickname, but it really is true. Anyone who lives in this region eventually spends time at MacDonald Island Park."

The expansionwill add a football facility, a baseball stadium and
a badminton centre, among other features.

"I get to tour people from all over the country and all over the world through our facility and frequently what people say is they have have never seen anything like it before," says Wells.

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The massive facility is supported mightily by the energy industry.All of thatoilsandscorporate support remains, despite the sharp fall in oil prices in the last year. Wells says the centre is "very fortunate" that the expansion project has also been immune to funding cuts, since construction began before the oil market price crash.

Other projects in the community could face delays, such as the proposed 7,000-seat downtown arena.

As companies in the region reduce their workforce and cut spending, the rec facility offers a distraction for those people worried about their jobs and livelihood.

MacDonald Island park is a one-stop shop in the community for recreation, sport and entertainment. It tries to offer a range of activities for everyone in the region, whether they live in FortMcMurray, a neighbouring community, or a work camp.

"A lot of places will have something like theSyncrudeaquatic centre, or theoilsandscurling club or arenas, but very rarely do you find all of those things housed in spot, under one roof," says Wells. "We believe we are the largest recreation centre in Canada and that was actually before the addition of Shell Place."

Newcomers, like Gavin Allen, are often taken aback by the sheer size of the leisure centre. Allen has become a regular since moving to FortMcMurrayfrom Ontario about 18 months ago.

"It's a great, healthy place to meet people and just get better engaged with the community," says Allen.