When the Jeux du Canada Games Centre officially opens its doors to the public on October 15, a lot of people are going to be blown away by what's behind them.

Seriously.

With construction on the huge multiplex still underway, I was given my first look inside on Wednesday.

Growing up in the Yukon, we had gymnasiums, we had hockey rinks and we had a pool, but what I saw at the top of Two Mile Hill was impressive, to say the least.

The Olympic-size ice rink, the NHL-size ice rink, the soccer pitch and the flexi-hall are all nearing the end of their construction, with the actual ice scheduled to go in sometime over the next week.

An exercise room, concession, lounge and bar are still being added, as are the staff offices and a child care centre, and the running track is looking solid.

While the reception for the Whitehorse Lions Aquatic Centre is still set up in an onsite trailer, the pool and multiplex will join forces completely in time for the grand opening. Extensive landscaping is also planned for the area, which will only further one of the best views available in the city.

The Jeux du Canada Games centre is similar to many of the recreation centres in large cities down South. It reminds me somewhat of the Southland Leisure Centre in Calgary. But as someone pointed out to me, Southland services a population of nearly one million while the multiplex will service a population near two per cent of that.

Granted, many expect a population boom in the Yukon capital following the 2007 Canada Winter Games, especially with talks of a pipeline heating up. Still, it will be many more years before Whitehorse can even put a dent in the one-million mark if ever.

As one citizen was heard remarking about the multiplex, Whitehorse really has no business with a facility of that size and calibre. Not many cities of our size have an Olympic-size ice rink at all, never mind right beside an NHL-size surface in the same building.

But hey, these are the Canada Games. As the past couple of years have shown, anything is possible.

The operating and maintenance costs of the multiplex will be huge, especially when it comes to heat, which makes the continued use of the facilities all that much more important. The same goes for Mount Sima, with a new snowmaking line being installed this year and a new chalet planned in time for 2007.

But I believe Whitehorse athletes will make good use out of the facilities both before and after 2007.

The ice times are already booked for the first half of the season and there's no doubt the flexi-halls will see lots of action, with the number of registered soccer players in the territory.

The new facilities will also benefit the economy, as Whitehorse prepares not only for the Games themselves, but the test events which will hit the territory beforehand and the events everyone hopes to garner in the future.

It goes without saying that world-class facilities draw more attention and with the multiplex close to completion, there's even talk about future NHL team training camps as a possibility.

And lets not forget the benefits both the multiplex and newly rennovated Mount Sima will offer families in the territory as well.

While complaints such as 'there's nothing to do here,' will probably never disappear completely, at the very least, parents and kids now have more options. And the best part about the multiplex is the variety it offers.

Each family member is free to do their own thing. And for those taking part in activities which don't include small children, there's even a child care centre.

I'm certainly not implying that the multiplex is perfect. If you look close enough at anything, there are always flaws. For example, the limited seating in both the arenas and soccer facilities may become an issue, as well as the fact there are no walls in between the two arenas or two soccer areas ñ� meaning competing whistles could become an annoyance.

But one thing is certain.

After getting a glimpse at two of the biggest sites which will be relied upon in 2007 the multiplex and Sima it's become clear that the Canada Winter Games really will be leaving behind a legacy.

So as we get set for the grand opening of the Jeux du Canada Games Centre and look forward to another season on the slopes, my advice to Yukoners is simple:

We're lucky. Take advantage of it.