Building for the Future: Revitalizing the Heart of Fawcett

Fawcett Community Hall and Arena

In rural areas, community spaces are more than just buildings — they are where life happens.

The Fawcett Agricultural Society (PACO) took significant strides in 2024 to restore, modernize, and reimagine the Fawcett Community Hall and Arena — ensuring these essential spaces remain vibrant and welcoming for generations to come.

The goal was ambitious but vital: to make the Hall and Arena safer, more accessible, and more appealing to a wider range of community users. With a broader modernization plan already underway through provincial grants, WCF funding helped close key gaps — guaranteeing that even if larger funding fell through, critical improvements would still move forward.

The project focused on:

• Essential interior repairs and repainting

• Upgraded emergency lighting and fire safety systems

• Improvements to facility accessibility

• Installation of a new, monitored alarm and security system

• The purchase of new cleaning equipment to maintain the renovated spaces

Progress and Pride

Renovations kicked off in June 2024, with major milestones reached by November. Projects like the repainting of the Hall, installation of impact-resistant wainscotting for pickleball use, plumbing repairs in the Zamboni room, and upgraded emergency exit signage were completed on schedule and within budget.

Feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive. Community members attending events have remarked on the brighter, more welcoming feel — and there’s growing excitement about the upcoming accessibility upgrades and new security enhancements planned for early 2025.

Through these improvements, the Hall and Arena are not only safer and more functional — they are once again becoming the thriving social and recreational hub the community deserves.

Why It Matters

Beyond fresh paint and new equipment, this project reflects a deeper commitment:

• To accessibility: creating spaces where everyone can belong.

• To safety: ensuring families and visitors feel secure and comfortable.

• To sustainability: stabilizing facility revenues through increased rentals and modernized amenities.

• To community resilience: preserving a vital piece of Fawcett’s social infrastructure.

With continued work planned into early 2025, the Fawcett Community Hall and Arena are on track to remain a place where milestones are celebrated, memories are made, and community spirit shines for years to come.