Image Credit: Canadian Press

By Victor Kaisar

Lytton Community Hub

Lytton moving ahead with ‘community hub’ project to replace infrastructure lost to 2021 wildfire

Feb 27, 2025 | 12:23 PM

LYTTON B.C. — The Village of Lytton is moving ahead with a community hub project to replace infrastructure that was lost during the wildfire of 2021.

At Wednesday’s (Feb. 26) meeting, Lytton Council voted in favour of moving ahead with the facility, which will include a community-sized pool, a gathering space for local markets and festivals, and multi-purpose spaces. It could also include a new library and museum, if the Thompson-Nicola Regional District reestablishes library services in Lytton.

“We have heard how important it is for the community to replace essential infrastructure lost during the 2021 fire and to have a place to gather and come together to celebrate and recreate,” Mayor Denise O’Connor said in a news release.

“Recent community engagement through an open house and survey confirmed overwhelming support for proceeding with this project and a desire to move ahead collaboratively and efficiently.”

Wednesday’s decision to move forward also came a week after the federal government announced it would contribute nearly $26 million towards the new community hub. That money was part of the $77 million that the federal government committed to Lytton in June 2022.

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“We are grateful for the confirmation of federal funding for this project, which is a significant milestone in the planning process,” O’Connor added.

The Village of Lytton says it will now proceed with additional planning work for the new community hub, which will be located on Fraser Street. It will be issuing a request for proposals for an architect to design the building.

In a statement, the Village says the designs will incorporate feedback from the community and Project Advisory Committee. It also notes it will continue discussions with neighbouring First Nations, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, and other potential partners around “shared uses and sustainable operations” for the Community Hub.

“We look forward to continuing to develop design and operational plans for the facility with the community, and ultimately to starting construction,” O’Connor said.

Roughly 90 per cent of the structures in downtown Lytton were destroyed when the wildfire rushed through in June 2021.