The City of Prince George and the University of Northern British Columbia have created a corporation to oversee the development of the new Northern Sport Centre. The partnership reflects the importance of the project for both the City and the University.

Northern Sport Centre Limited (NSCL) has a Board of Directors that includes representation from the City, UNBC, sport, the regional district, local business, the medical community, and aboriginal organizations. Its members are Charles Jago, George Paul, Tom Madden, Sharon Cochran, Bill Lynch, Ray Gerow, Janet Ames, Derek Bates, Mike Bell, Tuppy Hoehn, Bill Percival, and Len McNamara. The Board is chaired by Councilor Cliff Dezell.

NSCL will implement the concept for the Northern Sport Centre, accumulate input from potential users of the facility, and identify additional sources of funding for the project. In April, the Government of BC committed $20.5 million towards the creation of the Northern Sport Centre.

“We have already begun the process of selecting a private sector partner to design, build, finance, and operate the Northern Sport Centre. We’re issuing a Request for Qualifications today that will allow us to gain information from companies that have experience in these kinds of projects,” says Cliff Dezell, Chair of the NSCL Board. “We’re still several months away from construction but the RFQ will really give us an idea of the kinds of companies that are interested in this opportunity and what it could bring to the community and region.”

It’s proposed that the Northern Sport Centre will be built at UNBC and include a gymnasium with seating for 2000, and indoor fieldhouse with indoor track, and space for high-performance training and coach offices. By strengthening Prince George’s role as a post-secondary education centre, the NSC will provide more opportunities for northerners to pursue sport and education in their home region.