Dignitaries from all over central Alberta gathered at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre on Wednesday to celebrate the grand opening of the new $88-million addition to the Red Deer College campus.

Named after the local philanthropist, the building includes amenities such as a gymnasium, running track, squash courts, a rink, fitness centre and classrooms for those in the college’s health science programs.

During the 2019 Canada Winter Games, the 250,000 square-foot venue will host five sports: badminton, figure skating, squash, short track speed skating and wheelchair basketball.

The Canada Games Host Society’s chair was impressed by the finished product, which has been in the works since 2015 and completed in June.

“We’re going to be welcoming the nation in less than six months from now and this facility is going to wow everybody across the nation,” said Lyn Radford.