One of Manitoba’s premier agricultural venues is getting funds for a major facelift.
On March 30, the province announced almost $11 million in funding for Brandon’s Keystone Centre over the next several years.
The facility hosts Ag Days, three Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba fairs, Manitoba Potato Production Days and other major ag events.
Read Also
One dead after grain truck rollover
A 47-year-old man was killed after the grain truck he was driving rolled on a rural road in the RM of Victoria
Why it matters: Manitoba’s ag sector taps the Wheat City’s Keystone Centre for a long list of fairs, trade shows and public outreach.
The centre will receive $7.9 million to realize its sustainability plan, Premier Heather Stefanson said during a visit to the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. That money is part of a larger five-year funding agreement between the City of Brandon and the province, worth $15.9 million.
“Our government is keen to collaborate with all levels of government, business leaders and our economic development partners to advance key initiatives that will support stronger, more vibrant communities and the continued growth of our economy,” Stefanson said.
Another $3 million will come from the province’s Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund and will go toward facility renovations.
That money will allow the centre to upgrade its main arena. The three-phase improvement plan includes better washroom accessibility, seating, air conditioning upgrades and less visible improvements like better loading ramps and sprinklers.
The funds will cover about half the overall renovation cost, according to the centre.
The chair of the Keystone Centre’s board, Bruce Luebke, said the influx gives the team, “the ability to build a robust capital plan for the next five years and to have some certainty when we strategically plan for the Keystone Centre’s future.”
“This agreement reinforces the importance of the Keystone Centre as an event venue and an economic driver in our community. It also represents a significant contribution from both the City of Brandon and the Manitoba government to recognize the capital needs that the Keystone Centre currently has and will continue to have into the future,” he said.
Normally home ice for the Brandon Wheat Kings hockey team, the main arena is also a key area for agriculture. Soil replaces the ice several times a year for the sake of horse showing, rodeo and other large-scale events including the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.
The week-long fair draws thousands of urban and rural visitors to the Keystone Centre and is the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba’s “pinnacle” event, according to the organization’s website.
In January, large farm equipment takes over the space, as part of Manitoba Ag Days, Canada’s largest indoor farm show.
“The Keystone Centre is the heart of the Westman community and major economic driver for the region,” Stefanson said. “This significant investment will help to ensure the Keystone Centre remains sustainable in the long term so it can continue to attract world-class events and provide ongoing cultural, recreational and economic opportunities for Brandon and the surrounding region.”
The 2023 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair ran from March 27 to April 1 and is one of three major fairs, along with the Manitoba Summer Fair and Ag Ex, put on annually by the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.
