At the October 21 Regular Meeting, Delta Council will receive a preliminary concept for the new Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre showing how the results of the first phase of the engagement program have been incorporated in the plan. In addition to introducing the preliminary concept, the staff report also provides updates on the project cost estimate, a plan for reforestation, relocation options for disc golf, next steps for public engagement, and a grant application.
“The preliminary concept is a combination of the direction that Council provided for the project, the amenities desired by the community, and the functional program needs of our operational staff,” said Jim Bauer, Director of Facilities and Major Projects. “It provides the bones of the building that the project team will now use to develop a detailed design for review by Council and the community early next year.”
Residents interested in the preliminary concept can view it at letstalk.delta.ca/Winskill. The concept shows the proposed orientation of the building and the different components along with their location and size. Key features of the layout are the 10-lane, 25m lap pool, four-lane teach pool, leisure area, hot tub, cold plunge pool sauna, fitness centre, multi-purpose rooms, Boys and Girls Club area, change rooms, gymnasium plus the space needed for mechanical operations and staff. The overall size of the building has grown from the 81,300 ft² initially estimated to 89,900 ft². Despite the increased size of the facility, the overall project remains within the approved budget of $130 million.
Other updates in the staff report include:
- A contractor will begin mobilizing on October 28, 2024 to begin removal of the estimated 166 trees in the western portion of Winskill Park to facilitate site preparation and construction of the new U15 ball diamond and the relocated U13 ball diamond in 2025.
- Meetings with representatives from the disc golf community are ongoing to evaluate potential options for a relocated course. As an immediate interim measure, staff have ordered 6 new disc golf baskets for installation in the wooded area in Dennison Park, and have engaged a disc golf course designer, who will provide guidance on the installation of the baskets with input from the disc golf community.
- Staff are seeking Council’s support to apply for a grant through the Government of Canada’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program for this project. A fully electrified building qualifies the Winskill facility for the grant application.
- The City is planning a number of activities this fall to update the community on the work completed to date in preparation for a community-wide engagement program in the new year once the detailed design is ready.
The complete project update prepared for Council can be reviewed at delta.civicweb.net/document/232666/.
For more information on this news release, please contact media@delta.ca.