Muskoka Lumber Community Centre celebrates first year of operation with free programming

BRACEBRIDGE, ON (October 6, 2025) – The Muskoka Lumber Community Centre is celebrating a remarkable first year of operation, having welcomed tens of thousands of participants to its wide range of programs, rentals, and special events. To mark the milestone, the Town of Bracebridge invites the community to a weekend of free programming from October 10 to 12, showcasing the variety of activities offered at the facility.

Muskoka Lumber Community Centre One Year Anniversary Celebration
When: Friday, October 10 to Sunday, October 12
Where: Muskoka Lumber Community Centre, 56 Salmon Avenue
Admission: Free to all participants

Celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre with a variety of free programming all weekend long including:

• Pickleball, preschool open gym, badminton, basketball, youth open gym, open skate, shinny and stick and puck on Friday;
• All-day drop-in activities in the Proline Rentals Fieldhouse on Saturday and Sunday including preschool play, basketball, and floor hockey;
• Public skating on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 10:15 a.m. in the Muskoka Lumber Arena;
• And more! 

Cupcakes will be available in the lobby all weekend long while supplies last.

The Bracebridge Library will be buzzing on Friday, October 10. Cake will be available starting at 10 a.m. and puzzles, board games, and colouring sheets will be set up to enjoy. Bracebridge Library tattoos and make your own paper airplane kits will also be available.

Don’t miss the action in the Muskoka Lumber Arena as the Muskoka Bears Junior C Hockey Team takes to the ice on both Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. The first 50 people to the game on Saturday will receive a Bracebridge 150 bucket hat.

Check out the full schedule of events at bracebridge.ca/programs.

Supporting the Community
Since its opening, the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre has become a hub for recreation, healthy living, and community engagement. Over the past year, an estimated 180,000 people have come through the doors to enjoy over 2,500 opportunities to participate in programming like pickleball, drop-in basketball, public skates, table tennis, badminton and more. The introduction of the new facility allowed the Town to increase recreation programming by having the first community access indoor court facilities in the area, further enhancing access to healthy living and supporting Council’s priority of supporting community health and wellbeing.

In the Muskoka Lumber Arena, the ice saw nearly 900 hours of minor hockey, over 360 hours of figure skating, 28 Muskoka Bears Junior C home games, two community practices with the Toronto Maple Leafs and two community days with Muskoka Hockey including meet and greet opportunities with professional hockey players. Across the lobby in the Proline Rentals Fieldhouse there were over 1,900 hours of rentals, 643 summer campers, and two trade shows. But the excitement didn’t stop there. Upstairs in the Muskoka Leon’s Auditorium, the space was transformed for nearly 750 hours of events and special occasions all year long. As a result of the increased facility amenities Recreation introduced in the last year, including the Muskoka Lumber Community, recreation membership sales increased by 53%.

Thank you to everyone who has walked through the doors of the facility and made it the trusted community hub it was envisioned to be.

Quotes
“The Muskoka Lumber Community Centre has truly become the heart of our community in its first year. From youth sports to family programs, and from public skating to community events, the facility is bringing people together, supporting healthy living, and creating lasting memories. Thank you for being a part of this journey and for your continued support.”
-    Rick Maloney, Mayor, Town of Bracebridge