The TG Smith Centre was buzzing with excitement Wednesday evening during an in-person open house to look at details for the new Southeast Event Centre.

Senior Operations Manager Paul Penner says the current plan is very similar to the one that was presented in December at the virtual open house.

Senior Operations Manager for the City of Steinbach, Paul Penner.

“We’re still in the same concept,” Penner notes. “There’s minor changes, as we get through detailed drawings now, we do have some small changes, but there's nothing large changed.”

City Planner Lacey Gaudet says it was great to have an opportunity to meet in person with the public.

“It’s nice to see the community coming in, giving their feedback, telling us their comments on this new building,” she says.

The virtual open house resulted in some really good feedback, she adds. But Gaudet says there is just a different atmosphere when you can meet in person and have some conversations.

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“Ideally, we would love to have shovels in the ground sometime in 2022,” she says. “But until the design is finalized, and we have the contract awarded, we can’t determine exactly when the construction will start.”

At this time, the design work is around 75 percent complete.

The City is still looking for public feedback. You can view the plans online and offer feedback here.