On Monday night, Delta council awarded a construction contract to Maple Leaf Homes Ltd., which is building a multi-family housing complex on the site of the old Firehall Centre for the Arts on 84th Avenue.
According to a Delta staff report, the purchase and sale agreement was subject to approval of the housing project, which was done in February. The proceeds of the sale will be used to construct the arts centre on the adjacent North Delta Recreation Centre site.
The arts centre will have 11,000 square feet of space and is estimated to cost $7.7 million. Construction is expected to take just over a year.
The two-storey facility will include a theatre with a large foyer and concession space, multiple music and meeting rooms, storage space and more.
“It is very exciting that we are at this point to award this contract,” said Coun. Sylvia Bishop. “I think this is a fantastic addition to the social heart. When you look at the concept drawing of the building it echoes the form and character of the rec centre, it fits neatly into the space and provides enough flexibility for all sorts of uses.”
Bishop said the location is also on a public transit route, in a walkable area with lots of parking nearby.
“The old building served the community well, but it was a tired and aged facility that had seen better days as simply a fire hall,” added Coun. Robert Campbell. “This takes us from cobbling together a space to provide for our performing arts and culture people to providing a space that is on a quality that will be second to none in the Lower Mainland. It’s wonderful to be able to sit here and see this being approved knowing that Delta is going to have a facility that will be on the level of what you would see in Vancouver.”
