Neepawa’s aging recreation infrastructure has been a topic of discussion in the community for years, with facilities showing more wear and tear each season. A 2023 audit of the Yellowhead Centre recommended that the facility begin developing both short- and long-term strategic plans to ensure its survival. The idea of a new recreation centre isn’t new—but it needed someone to take the lead and turn it into action.

That’s where Wayne Jacobson stepped in. As president of the Yellowhead Centre board, Jacobson reached out to the curling club and the golf club to see if they might be interested in exploring a joint project. With both clubs on board, the next step was to approach Neepawa and the surrounding municipalities, who also agreed to support the effort. One of the key considerations, Jacobson notes, was to ensure the facility would serve the wider region, not just the Town of Neepawa.

The committee formed out of those early conversations has now developed a shortlist of potential sites for a new facility, each with its own advantages and challenges, along with a priority list of amenities it should include. They are now seeking public feedback on those options and on the project as a whole. The committee emphasizes that plans remain in the very early stages—there is no budget, no finalized site, and no timeline. At the best estimate, a new facility would still be at least a decade away.

Still, the community response has been encouraging. More than 100 people attended a recent public forum, Jacobson reports, and every single person who cast a vote at that meeting supported continuing to explore the idea of a new multi-use events centre. With that clear mandate, the committee will keep gathering feedback from residents beyond the forum and begin narrowing down what kind of facility the region truly needs.