Stride Place has reached a major milestone this month as the community’s largest recreation facility is officially paid off. Fifteen years after opening its doors, the City and Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie celebrated the full repayment of the facility’s 15-year debenture on November 1. For those who helped launch the ambitious project, it marks the culmination of years of dedication and the beginning of a new chapter for the community. Former mayor Ken Brennan remembers when the idea first took shape. “It had built up over the years for me personally with my son playing minor hockey in the Centennial Arena, and we kind of outgrew it,” Brennan says. “Then the RM and the city partnered in a number of things, and I thought, we’ve got an opportunity here to do something big.” That “something big” became a reality after a lunchtime conversation between Brennan and then-Reeve Toby Trimble. “We were sitting there, and I pitched the idea and said, ‘What do you think?’ Toby said, ‘I think you got a good idea there. Let’s get something going.' We launched it from there," he recalls. Brennan and Trimble both shared a vision that went beyond bricks, beams, and ice surfaces. From the very beginning, they hoped to create a place that would strengthen not just physical health but community well-being; a space where everyone in and around Portage could gather, belong, and take pride. Their goal was to make it an inclusive facility that encouraged active living, supported mental wellness, and brought people together under one roof. By the time the first shovel hit the ground on September 29, 2008, the partnership between the city and RM had become the cornerstone of the 44-million-dollar multiplex project. Funded through contributions from the federal and provincial governments, the City and RM of Portage la Prairie, as well as significant corporate and private support, the facility rose quickly from blueprint to building. “It was a lot of work in two years, believe me, but the teamwork was incredible. There was a group for every aspect of this project. It really was a community effort,” Trimble explains. When the doors opened on February 27, 2010, the complex, then known as the PCU Centre, quickly became a hub for local life. Featuring two NHL-sized arenas, an aquatic centre, fitness area, indoor track, and meeting rooms, the building became a symbol of what Portage could achieve through partnership. When a 13-year naming rights partnership with Stride Credit Union was announced in 2017, the facility was renamed Stride Place. It continues to be jointly owned and operated by the City and RM through the Portage Regional Recreation Authority (PRRA). This collaboration has made it a regional success story in both sustainability and community use. A facility that has made history Stride Place has hosted over a million visitors in the past 15 years, welcoming national sports championships, concerts, and graduations. It’s home to countless local hockey games and swimming lessons, and it also stepped onto the national stage with events like the 2010 Manitoba PowerSmart Winter Games, the 2015 RBC Cup (where the Portage Terriers claimed the national title), and the 2023 Centennial Cup. Its versatility has also made it a cultural landmark, hosting the RCMP Musical Ride, Doc Walker, Portage for Humboldt, All Nations Tribal Days, and the upcoming Prairie Unity Pow Wow. Between 2010 and 2014, Stride Place even made it to the big screen, appearing in four national film and television productions, including Goon, Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story, Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story, and The Gabby Douglas Story. A legacy that lasts Trimble says he still regularly visits the facility. “I come in here a couple of times a week for Aquafit. There’s always a deep sense of pride when I walk through the door,” he smiles. Current Mayor Sharilyn Knox says that pride is shared across the community. “Stride Place is a reminder of what’s possible when people come together and say yes to something big. It took vision, partnership, and courage for them to move this project forward. I've always believed that without opposition and criticism, there can be no progress." Reeve Roy Tufford echoed that sentiment, noting that true progress comes from taking action rather than hesitation. “Part of being on council is getting things done. A good councillor doesn’t sit on their hands and turn ideas down. They see what’s important to the community, what everyone can benefit from, and make it happen. That’s what they did with Stride Place, and now it makes us all look to the future and ask, 'What’s next?' We all want to leave this place better than we found it," Tufford notes. To mark the milestone, past and present members of the city and RM council gathered at Stride Place yesterday to celebrate the achievement and reflect on the vision that made it possible. Mayor Sharilyn Knox says she and Reeve Roy Tufford felt it was important to bring together those who first decided to build the facility, recognizing the courage it took to move the project forward. “I was happy to hear stories and listen to what they went through when they made this decision. It’s very encouraging when we’re making decisions to know what type of positive legacy we can make. As we look ahead to the next chapter with the Fieldhouse project, the City and the RM in Southport are building on the same spirit, knowing that the decisions we make today have the opportunity to shape our community for generations," Knox shares. Stride Place stands today not just as a recreation facility but as a testament to teamwork. It's a place where Portage la Prairie has celebrated victories, hosted national events, and built lasting memories. As the building’s debt is officially cleared, the milestone is more than a financial one. It’s a reminder of what can happen when a community dares to dream together. “We’re very proud of it,” Brennan says. “This is our legacy, and it's a great one to be carried on.” Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon. 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