(Image Credit: File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Arts, culture, and other groups offered feedback

Council hears Rec-Create Humboldt Steering Committee findings

Feb 24, 2026 | 12:18 PM

Humboldt City Council heard more about the work done by the Rec-Create Humboldt Steering Committee at their meeting Monday night. 

Director of Community and Leisure Services Michael Ulriksen told northeastNOW the committee was established to help the city better understand current and future community needs related to arts, culture, sport, recreation, and wellness spaces. 

“Council recognized that before making long-term infrastructure decisions, it was important to engage the community and gather informed input from local organizations and residents,” Ulriksen said. “The committee provided a collaborative, community-driven way to identify needs and help guide future planning.” 

Ulriksen said the response to the engagement process was strong, with a wide variety of sport, arts, culture, recreation, and community services organizations participating in surveys and discussions.  

“The level of participation demonstrated a high degree of community interest and a willingness among organizations to contribute to long-term planning conversations about Humboldt’s future,” Urliksen stated. 

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The feedback confirmed that there is a growing demand for multi-use indoor spaces that can support a variety of activities and programming. According to Ulriksen, many groups identified capacity pressures within existing facilities, and a need for spaces that better support inclusion, collaboration, and year-round programming. 

“The findings focused on identifying community needs and service gaps rather than recommending a specific facility solution at this stage,” said Ulriksen. 

The findings highlight gaps within the community, but they do not establish priorities, costs, or long-term impacts yet. Ulriksen said any future decisions must consider financial sustainability, partnership opportunities, and broader municipal planning to find the correct and responsible solutions. 

Administration will work to translate the findings into a pathway based on the directions from council.  

“This includes exploring potential governance and fundraising models, continuing collaboration with community partners, and completing further analysis to better understand options and long-term sustainability,” Ulriksen said. “Council has indicated interest in advancing early planning work while longer-term evaluation continues.” 

The goal of the entire process is to ensure the city has recreation, sport, arts, and wellness spaces that meet community needs now and in the future. Ulriksen said the process is intended to create a coordinated vision that strengthens quality of life, supports community well-being, and reflects shared priorities rather than addressing facility needs individually or reactively. 

According to Ulriksen, the work will occur in phases, and any timelines depend on further planning, partnerships, and funding opportunities.  

“Over the coming months, Administration will focus on organizational and planning steps, including fundraising preparation and additional evaluation,” explained Ulriksen. “Addressing infrastructure gaps themselves is expected to be a longer-term effort that may occur in stages as opportunities arise.” 

Ulriksen said council was supportive of the committee’s work, and appreciative of the strong community participation.  

“Members emphasized maintaining the momentum created through engagement and expressed interest in moving forward with preparatory work, particularly related to fundraising and implementation planning, while ensuring decisions remain community-driven and financially responsible.” 

He said the Rec-Create Humboldt initiative represents a collaborative effort between volunteers, organizations, administration, and council. No final facility decisions have been made, but Ulriksen said the process has established a strong foundation for future planning, and represents a shared commitment to thoughtfully shaping arts, recreation, and wellness opportunities for Humboldt. 

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com