Steinbach is celebrating the official opening of a new venue aimed at attracting performances, sporting events and art exhibitions to southeast Manitoba. On Thursday, residents were invited to a free grand opening event for the Southeast Event Centre, located on Elmdale Street. Though the facility hosted its first event in the arena bowl back in March, construction prohibited full access to other areas of the venue until this week. “It is so much more than a community centre,” said Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, the facility’s director of communication, marketing and sales. “When you first walk in, it’s so magnificent, you almost think, ‘What is this place?’” The Southeast Event Centre features a hockey rink that can be converted into a 4,000-person venue, a full-size gymnasium with a walking track, conference rooms, a children’s play zone, and a restaurant with an outdoor patio. It’s expected to boost community, employment and tourism in Manitoba’s third-largest city. “This is so built by the community for the community, and it will continue to do that,” Sawatzky-Koop said. “Every dollar spent in this building goes back into the building.” Funding for the venue came from the City of Steinbach, the provincial and federal government, as well as fundraising efforts by the Southeast Events Group. • With files from CTV’s Daniel Halmarson
