The city is buzzing over an announcement that will see the Family Leisure Centre renamed The Big Marble Go Centre ( City of Medicine Hat/Facebook)

By Tiffany Goodwein

What’s in a name? Reaction pours in for Big Marble Go Centre

Dec 7, 2021 | 5:46 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It’s a place where everyone in the family can skate, swim or play all under one roof. But now the Family Leisure Centre has a new name… The Big Marble Go Centre.

The announcement was made on Monday at city council and so far the reaction has been swift, and not necessarily in a positive way.

“Maybe they will shorten it to the marble? Wait now that even sounds dumb. I’m old and cranky,” laughed one woman outside the recreation facility.

“When they opened it we thought it was so weird that they picked such a blah name like the Family Leisure Centre, but now that it is being changed 20 years later it just kind of seems like a strange kind of name,” one man added.

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Over 400 comments were made on the CHAT News Facebook page criticizing the new name, with some people even asking if April Fools has arrived.

The City of Medicine Hat still owns and operates the facility. Big Marble Farms has become the new title sponsor, and they said the new name reflects the uniqueness of the Big Marble brand.

“We wanted to think outside the box, and come up with a name that would be thought-provoking, and would also be something that would embody what that facility is about, and we thought go and action words and movement is really what the Family Leisure Centre is about,” said Jonathan Schow vice-president of sales and marketing for Big Marbles Farms.

Schow said he expected the new name to create some buzz.

And despite the public’s initial reaction, Schow said Big Marble Farms respects everyone’s opinion.

“We are not taking it personally. We know that change isn’t something that everybody embraces right away. We certainly hope that the name will settle and people will warm up to it, and the spirit of what we are going for with that name.” stated Schow.

But not everyone in the city is critical of the name change. Others don’t seem to mind it.

“Doesn’t really matter to me. It’s a fine name. I guess they are the sponsors so that’s good for Medicine Hat,” said one woman.

“Marble Go! Yeah, it doesn’t really matter to us. We use this seven days a week so, awesome facility. For a city this size to have a facility like this, it’s incredible,” one man said.

Signage for the new facility will go up in the coming months.

This is the first time the Family Leisure Centre has had a title sponsor. Josie Doll, corporate partnership coordinator with the City of Medicine Hat said that will come with some added benefits for local residents.

“The sponsorship gives us the opportunity to be able to offer some things at no charge where there was a charge before so where we would have a nominal fee on things like special events that happen there now thanks to this generous sponsorship we are able to offer them at no charge,” Doll said

A grand opening for the Big Marble Go Centre is slated to occur this spring.