Have you ever experienced the feeling, whether with food, play or life in general where it’s good, but it’s just missing something? It might be that spaghetti sauce not quite “there”, the pool game where you are not quite making all the shots you used to or how you feel good but not quite great. We were kind of like that here; things running pretty decent, settling in to how people use the new building, patron numbers still increasing — the universe progressing probably as it should. Then bingo! The concession opened and we saw, or rather felt, the change in energy that once again having a food service brings. It’s kind of like being allowed into grandma’s living room where all the couches and lamps used to be covered in plastic and no one was allowed in except for wakes and now you can jump on the couch and put your feet on the coffee table. It was the missing piece — it definitely forms part of the whole.
The concession has moved around the facility over the decades — before I started, it was in the centre of the arena lobby attached to what used to be the employee lunchroom and which later became the first aid room (after it was a cashier station for the outdoor pool). When I started 18 years ago, it was then in what later became the building inspector’s office (and later programmer’s office and now conference room) and served into the main lobby (where the ticket booth is now) as well as into the curling viewing area. Part of my job way back then was to build a new concession in the arena lobby (where the Kootenay Room is now) and which served the public there for the next 15 years or so until its latest incarnation. Obviously you kind of need a program to keep track of all the changes over the decades.
I think the first thing I struggled with was the delicious aroma emanating into the lobby of fresh baked muffins. I mean like, really? Talk about facing temptation for those that work here. I foresee more strain on my fitness pass. If you haven’t heard, Calvin and Judy Germann who currently operate A Break In Time Caffé downtown have taken on this new challenge beginning with a six-month trial to establish a number of factors, such as what sells and what doesn’t, what are reasonable hours to open for both the benefit of public and operator and how to function efficiently within the space. We are basically starting from scratch again as we have been without a concession for a fair while, as well as having an entire new audience to market to with a full time pool and fitness facility. Just observing the positive feedback from the short two weeks they have been open and the healthy choices along with regular fare being offered, I would say we are on the right track.
As mentioned before, where we are today brings us that much closer to the vision the community sought through the master plan process oh so long ago and subsequently what the design team pursued in setting the direction on the entire facility project. Although challenging sometimes, the deliberate and methodical process that was followed this past four or five years in all aspects of design and construction has given us an asset to be proud of. I have seen and continue to hear of large projects throughout B.C. that were rushed through without adequate thought or input only to haunt the operators as well as public for the 30- or 40-year life cycle of a building. While we will always strive to improve what we have, the Creston Valley has a facility that surpasses many others in Western Canada and we look forward to the success of the latest addition of those that feed us.
Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.