I had started writing my column last week as I knew we could be slightly busy and had subsequently speculated on different reactions for our grand opening of the Creston and District Community Complex project on June 26. Needless to say, I just highlighted that section and hit delete because what we experienced was far and beyond what I thought.

As staff, we have been immersed in the project for the past number of years and have seen the changes on a daily basis. You tend to suffer from the same syndrome such as the mother that doesn’t notice her screaming kid sitting next to her — you become somewhat numb to it through that genetic bond. The reaffirmation that we couldn’t see some of the forest for the trees came from hundreds of first-timer’s reaction to what we now have in our community. For myself, hearing a plethora of positive comments for the full day, as well as the week following, reiterates that we seem to be heading in the right direction.

An incredible amount of insight and history was brought forward from many of the people trying to find their way around the new and unfamiliar digs during grand opening — from a Creston Clipper overtime hockey game that saw as many as 1,200 people crammed in the stands and what was to be the Creston Room, to stories from many of the original people that fundraised and volunteered to get the original building up and serving the community for the past 38 years or so. That same sense of ownership is what we are trying to create with the newly improved facility; it is a community resource specifically for the health and wellness of you and your family.

Even though there is still a pile of work to be done, including finishing the Creston Room, painting of the arena beams, finishing the curling lounge and viewing area, painting parking lot lines along with a bunch of other stuff, the good news is that the aquatic area is alive, well and open. The good citizens of the valley also seem to be aware of this as we have had steady lineups since we opened from the front counter back to the main doors with people purchasing memberships, passes and programs. Man, it’s just like we opened a donut shop or something!

Interestingly enough, a lady who I happen to know quite well walks to the community complex every day and she pointed out the other day she had to stop and figure out what was different from the past couple years. Turns out it was actually quiet for the first time around the centre — no cranes, loaders or workers’ vehicles, grinding, pounding or yelling — and it was, in fact, silent. While refreshing, we will change that — the community conceived and gave birth to this baby; our job is to nurture it through its growing pains into a contributing member of our community. We will do that through responsible programming and availability along with providing as many opportunities for as many varied people in the community to come and use it, whether for swimming, curling, skating or exercising right through to doing nothing more than having a cup of coffee while relaxing in the lobby.

It was a necessary challenge to keep our doors open to the community as best we could through construction, and our staff rose to meet that. They have already shown their abilities in rising to meet the upcoming challenges of operating the newly improved hub of the community.

Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.