Fort Hall Business Council members broke ground last Wednesday on a new 67,000-square-foot recreation center in Fort Hall that will replace a facility built in 1964 and serve as a modern hub for health, wellness and cultural connection for the entire community.

The estimated cost of the project is $20 million. The council has set aside $12 million and plans to add funding as it becomes available, said Council Treasurer Ladd Edmo.

Construction is set to begin in 2027 with completion expected in spring 2028. The new recreation center is being built off Mission Road behind the early childhood center.

Council Chairwoman Donna Thompson called the groundbreaking a personal milestone.

“This is my proudest moment while being on the board,” Thompson said. “I’m so excited to see it coming along.”

The new facility will include dedicated spaces for youth programming, group fitness, sports and community gatherings, said Juan Rodriguez, Fort Hall recreation manager.

“The facility is being designed as a true community hub that supports health, wellness and cultural connection for youth, families and elders alike,” Rodriguez said.

The need for a new facility has been years in the making. Council members began allocating gaming profits to an economic development fund for the project after meeting in 2008 to discuss the community’s growing needs. In January, the council decided it was time to move forward.

The current recreational facility, Timbee Hall, was built in 1964 and has long been a gathering place for the community — but it has increasingly struggled to keep up with demand.

“Timbee Hall was built in the 1960s and has long served as a familiar gathering place for the community,” Rodriguez said. “While it remains valued and well-loved, the building is showing its age and was not designed to meet the current and growing needs of today’s programs and services. Its limited space and outdated infrastructure make it increasingly difficult to accommodate the demand for youth activities, family programming, and multi-generational gatherings.”

Local architecture firm Myers Anderson Architects, which has a long-standing relationship with the Fort Hall community, has been hired to design the new facility. The firm previously designed the Waapi Kani Mental Health and Recovery Center, the Shoshone-Bannock Community Health Center, the Early Childhood Center and several other buildings on the reservation.

The recreation center is one of several major projects underway at Fort Hall. The new Fort Hall Fire Station, which broke ground in September 2024, is nearing completion and will enhance emergency response capabilities for the community.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Community Health Center, which broke ground in May 2025, is expected to open in July 2026. The 5,367-square-foot facility will expand health care access with six exam rooms, a pharmacy, laboratory, counseling office, conference space, ambulatory bay and additional support areas. The new facility will also create opportunities for increased staffing and additional medical specialties.