New Westminster needs to start planning for the day when Canada Games Pool needs to be replaced, says Coun. Jonathan Cote.
Cote has proposed that the city set up separate reserve funds for the replacement and/or major renovation of the Canada Games Pool and Centennial Community Centre. Council has directed staff to explore different funding options to support this reserve, and to report back to council and the city's parks and recreation committee.
Although it's not at the end of its lifespan just yet, Cote said Canada Games Pool is starting to age and the city needs to be prepared for the time when it needs to be replaced.
"The time to start planning is now," he said.
Cote said the city needs to begin exploring how it could pay for a new facility or renovations to the existing facility.
"It's going to be a very costly facility to work on, ranging from $15 to $50 million, depending what the city does," he said.
In December 2010, city council received a consultant's report examining options for the Canada Games Pool and Centennial Community Centre - options that carried a price tag between $22 to $55 million in 2010. Options included: a minimal fix and upgrade of building systems to extend the building's life for five to 10 years without adding new gross building space or addressing any expansion issues; a retrofit of existing buildings and addition of a new 22,500 square-foot lobby/fitness building that will provide a link between the two existing buildings (this option, which would also see the addition of a new 20,500 square-foot leisure pool and support space, would be done in two distinct phases); demolition and replacement of existing buildings with new facilities on the sports field/recycling depot site, an option that would include a new 10-lane, 52-metre pool, a separate leisure pool, a 20,000 square foot fitness centre, new change rooms, multi-purpose rooms, food concession and support spaces.
With a project of this scale, Cote suspects that more than one funding option will be needed to cover the costs of the project.
Coun. Bill Harper said the motion proposes "prudent planning" for the future development of the site. With the city's aging infrastructure, he said the city needs to develop plans to replace facilities so residents have facilities to use in the future.
"We need to do some serious planning," he said. "This is the beginning of that."
