In what the Town is calling a ‘defining moment,’ Saugeen Shores council has approved the construction and financing of a new Aquatic & Wellness Centre, alongside a re-imagining of the Town’s municipal office and council chambers.
A release from the Town says the decision means it will build the nearly $50 million facility without raising taxes.
The approved location of the new centre is east of the existing municipal hall and Plex arena. The main elements include an eight-lane, 25-metre pool; leisure/therapeutic pool and pool viewing area.
Its design also includes a walking track, wellness centre (conditioning centre with weights and fitness equipment, gym and storage, fitness studio and multi-purpose rooms).
It will also have common use areas (change rooms/washrooms; offices/customer service areas; mechanical/filtration/storage)
Council expects the project to cost $49,948,500, which it says the Town will pay for through operating revenue, development charges and steady payments through the Town’s Legacy Fund which it says will have over $6 million immediately available for the project and is able to contribute yearly after that.
The release says, according to the Town’s financial plan, the aquatic centre’s operating revenue will recover the project’s start-up costs by 2030. It also says, Saugeen Shores’ development charges bylaw allows for half of the project’s funding to come from development charges. it also says the Town is exploring several federal and provincial grant opportunities.
Council anticipated the need to support the building of a new pool: they created this fund in 2019 to support large projects, including recreational sports and cultural centres.
Mayor Luke Charbonneau says, “I am very pleased with Council’s decision to build the Centre,”adding, “This facility – along with the Lamont Sports Park – is why we established the Legacy Fund in the first place. It also shows how Development Charges are helping to build a better community as we grow. Our careful planning means we can now build two world-class recreational facilities that will generate enormous economic benefits, while serving our residents for decades.”
The plan also includes a redesign of the municipal offices to a more modern layout. The municipality hired a consultant for that planning through the 2021 Modernization Funding Program – a $100,000 provincial grant to develop modern workplaces.
Charbonneau says, “Our municipal offices were built in 1999, when our population was 20% smaller and static,” adding,”Since then, we have grown significantly, and we expect to keep growing. That means not only creating resources to serve the public better, but also changing the way we work.”
The release says, reconfiguring the offices at the same time as the Aquatic & Wellness Centre build will increase economies of scale.
The Town says it has already issued a request for proposals for a construction management firm and its staff are set to begin interviewing top candidates next week with a recommendation expected to go before council in January.
Council has also directed staff to report back on how to incorporate more green elements into the project while staying within the approved financing plan.
Construction is set to begin in the summer of 2023, with a planned completion date of early 2025.
For the complete staff report, presentation, and budget, click on the Council agenda HERE.
