The city could break ground on a new south end recreation centre as early as next year if council approves upcoming budget recommendations.
Heather Flaherty, the city's general manager of parks and recreation, said at a meeting of council Tuesday that if council approves the budget recommendations for the facility later this fall, the city could break ground on the 150,000 square-foot facility as soon as late 2020.
Detailed design work on the facility is almost complete.
"A two year build and we could be opening after that," Flaherty said.
The subject came up during discussions about closing Centennial swimming pool.
Councillor Mike Salisbury was wondering how much the gap between the closing of Centennial in January and the opening of a south end facility, that will include a swimming pool, arena, double gym and meeting rooms located adjacent to Bishop Macdonell high school.
Staff initially dodged identifying a date on the potential opening of a south end community centre, but when pushed by Salisbury delivered the potential late 2020 start and finish two years later.
No final price tag has been announced. The previously discussed cost was pegged at around $60 million. Various levels of government and development charges would cover most of the cost.
