FAQs

The following elements prioritized from #1 to #5 were included as part of the initial grant application for the new facility. Council used a 2020 community survey and information such as existing building conditions to inform this process.

1: Arena

2: Core (Admin Space)

3: Field House

4: Event Centre

5: Pleasure Skating Rink 

At a special meeting held on March 2, 2023, after careful consideration of available budget, Council decided to pull the proposed Pleasure Skating Rink (which is projected to cost around $2-3million) from the scope of work for this project.

The three companies who were bidding on the project (Bird, Quorex and Wright) have been asked to get creative with their proposals to give the City as many of the requested elements as possible for the budget we have. In other words, give us the most value for dollar possible. We understand that further sacrifices to the scope may yet be required, but it was felt that by removing the pleasure rink it would give the three companies more flexibility in their design and give us our best chance of getting as many quality elements as we can.

The field house and event centre are sort of tied at number three but something had to go first so Council selected the field house as the third priority. However, the design-build companies were asked to provide the best value for our dollar so, they could return designs that include some or all of elements #2-4 in any order, in addition to the rink. 

The ICIP (Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program) grant funding is not unlimited. There was a set limit to the overall funds that were available under the grant program. The more money the city asked for to construct a new facility, the less there was in the pot to go around to other communities in the province who we were also competing with for this funding. Therefore, Council had to make some tough choices in deciding what the priorities for this facility would be. There is the opportunity to add on to the facility in future years.

There were a number of options suggested by the community that were discussed by Council including a new library space, curling rink, community outreach services, squash courts, etc. There was also discussion on trying to see if we could have the capability to add on a future Aquatic Centre when our current one reaches the end of its life span. There were so many great ideas proposed by the community, and your elected representatives had a difficult decision choosing the priorities for this project.

The proposed design for the facility includes a space for skate sharpening and possible renting or loaning of skates for those that don’t have them. There will not be a sporting goods store in the new facility as businesses like this are already established in our area. There will also be no commercial gym or fitness centre for the same reason. However, we are hoping to have a field house in the new facility which is a gymnasium type space, with courts for volleyball, basketball, pickleball and indoor soccer, a walking track, locker rooms, and some studio space for programs and activities. While there may, at some point, be some equipment like free weights in this field house space, they are not part of this plan.  

In the fall of 2022 multiple stakeholders and user groups were asked to participate in developing the scope of the project. They were asked about their requirements for a new facility, including the kinds of spaces and amenities they’d like to see, the layout, levels of access, capacity, and so on. We also have an advisory group made up of appointees who have been assisting and will continue to assist in the project throughout construction.  

A number of user groups and stakeholder groups were invited to complete a survey on their use and needs of a new facility, and appoint a representative to attend an in-person engagement session. The following groups were contacted in the fall. There may be additional groups who have been contacted for specific input since that time.

We sent requests out to neighbouring communities and asked them to appoint representatives to our Advisory Committee (AC). This committee provides input into the scope of the project, feedback on the needs of their communities, feedback based in their expertise and experience, participates in activities like Risk Management Workshops, interviews with proponents to provide feedback on proposed designs, and more. The following are the members of the Advisory Committee. They are joined by additional members including past and present city staff, building officials, legal council, registered community planners and more experts who can assist in the success of this project. 

Due to the rise in construction costs since 2021 when the grant was first applied for, cost is now our biggest challenge. 

In the fall of 2022 we announced approval of a grant to help us build the new facility totaling $37.3 million. Broken down into the following:

• $14.9M Federal
• $12.4M Provincial
• $10 M Municipal

City Council has committed an additional $5M outside of the grant funding to make a total project budget of $42.3M.

The “Core” area covered in the grant funding contains recreation admin offices, ticket/service counter spaces, security area, and meeting space. That said, the Core is also being designed with enough space within it to encompass a new City Hall area, but finishing the City Hall portion is NOT part of the grant funding (because it is ineligible). The outfitting of a new city hall space within this new facility will be under separate contract with the company building it. The actual fitting out of the City Hall space will be done by the City, with City funds, outside of the grant funding. The only thing the grant funding pays for is the exterior shell of the entire Core space, and access points to facility infrastructure that City Hall would need access to.

We understand that further sacrifices to the scope may yet be required based on the budget we have, and we won’t know for certain which of the proposed elements of the facility will be built until we see the proposed plans. Other than the arena of course, the arena is the top priority for this facility.