Exhibition Park selects Lethbridge construction firm for agri-food hub and trade centre

By Herald on December 17, 2020.

An artists' rendering of the proposed new 268,000-square foot Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre at Exhibition Park.

Lethbridge & District Exhibition has awarded Lethbridge’s Ward Bros. Construction Ltd. a $62 million contract to manage construction of the new 268,000-square foot Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre.

Construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2021 and is anticipated to create more than 350 construction jobs over 22 months, with up to 50 new, full-time permanent positions to be created to operate the facility when it opens in early 2023.

The proposed new facility will double current hosting capacity and will be able to accommodate more and larger national and international events with up to 7,000 people. Once operational the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre is expected to contribute more than $90 million every year to the regional economy.

“Throughout the selection process, we were incredibly impressed with Ward Bros. Construction’s commitment to delivering more than a building, but also their dedication to delivering on a shared vision for what a facility like this will mean to this region,” said Mike Warkentin, Exhibition Park Chief Operating Officer in a press release. “Ward Bros. has shown exceptional community leadership throughout the region on all of its projects.”

Founded in 1976, Ward Bros. Construction Ltd. has grown to be one of the largest Construction Management and Design Build companies in Southern Alberta. It has been responsible for completing numerous marquee projects throughout the region, including West Lethbridge Centre, The Crossings Ice Complex (“ATB Centre Phase One”) and the Enmax Centre renovation. Ward Bros. Construction was named recipient of the 2020 Business Legacy Award by the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce.

“We are honoured to have been selected by Lethbridge & District Exhibition as their construction partner on the new Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. We look forward to working with the entire team to successfully deliver this transformational project for all of Southern Alberta” said Ward Bros. Chief Operating Officer Colin Ward, in the same release.

The Exhibition Park Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre is funded by the Government of Alberta, through Alberta’s Recovery Plan, the City of Lethbridge, which will maintain ownership of the land and a 30-year loan secured against the future operations of the facility.

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