Glen Mikkelsen, the former manager of the CN Centre, will be returning to Prince George in a new position, as the city begins its restart plan for civic facilities.
In March 2020, public health orders restricting large gatherings led to the closure of multiple city facilities.
In July, ongoing closures of venues such as the CN Centre and the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre, as well as uncertainty over the duration of the pandemic, forced the elimination of both unionized and exempt positions including the managers of both facilities.
In March, the City of Cranbrook announced Mikkelsen accepted a position as its new General Manager of Venues and Events.
However, in an update regarding BC’s four-step restart plan and civic facilities, the city says that in order to position Prince George to again be able to attract and host concerts and shows at venues such as CN Centre, the city recently proceeded with a search for a Manager of Entertainment.
“The position will be filled by Glen Mikkelsen, the previous manager of the CN Centre, who will return to the City of Prince George in early July.”
The City of Cranbrook also announced the departure of Mikkelsen today tweeting, "Prince George strikes back. We are saddened to announce Glen Mikkelsen, our General Manager of Venues and Events is returning to his roots and is headed back to work for the City of PG. Thanks for being with us Glen. Good luck!"
Mikkelsen was first hired in 2001 but took the helm of the CN Centre in 2014.
Known for his whimsical style, he brought several shows to the northern capital, ranging from Cirque du Soleil to musicals, concerts by world-class musicians like Bob Dylan and various sporting events, like the 2020 World Women's Curling Championships, which was unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic.
In recent months, the CN Centre has re-opened for public walking and ice access and a public vaccination program has been implemented at the Civic Centre.
In its update, the city also laid out next-steps for other civic facilities closed due to the pandemic.
The city says an update on the Prince George Playhouse will be presented to council on June 14, regarding options for the facility, which has been closed since March 2020 and needs repairs in order to re-open.
The Civic Centre currently serve as the site of Northern Health’s Prince George vaccination clinic where about 1,000 people are receiving vaccinations daily.
On June 28, city council will receive an update on a broader resumption of services for the Civic Centre, as well as a report on operations of Prince George arenas.
The Elksentre has been closed since March 2020 but the demand for ice at the remaining arenas remains high. Both the Spruce Kings and Cougars are planning to hold camps this summer in advance of regular season junior hockey play in the fall.
