Delta Council will review options to renovate or replace the aging Winskill Aquatic & Fitness Centre at the Regular Meeting of Council on March 11, 2024. City staff have evaluated the conditions of the 47-year old facility which has resulted in the recommendation that a new facility be built, as repairs to the existing facility would fall within the same cost range of $120-130 million. Staff will provide Council with an update on the results of the analysis of the existing Winskill building and seek direction to proceed.
“We have extended the life of the facility as much as possible through regular maintenance but the major mechanical systems are at the end and need to be replaced,” said Jim Bauer, Director of Major Capital Projects. “When you consider that the standards for aquatic centres have also changed over time—especially over 47 years—and that there has been significant growth in the area since the pool was constructed, the current facility no longer meets the community’s needs. This is why staff is recommending a new facility to Council.”
The options reviewed in the staff report include a proposal to renew the current Winskill Aquatic & Fitness Centre, which will require extensive rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure. The other option is for a completely new facility that would be built at the Winskill Park. The new building is described as including an eight-lane 25-meter lap pool, a leisure pool, a teach pool, 1 and 3 meter diving boards, as well as a fully-equipped fitness centre, gymnasium, and other multi-purpose spaces.
While the report includes a recommendation to build a new recreation facility, decisions about the amenities to be included, as well as design aspects, would still need to be determined. As a result, the report also recommends that Council direct staff to engage with residents, swim clubs, and other user groups on these and other key features of the facility.
“We know that there are a number of residents and user groups who are going to be affected by this project and want to provide their input. If Council wishes to proceed, staff will undertake an engagement process to ensure that the community helps set the plan for this important community amenity,” said Bauer.
Should Council endorse the recommendations for a new facility as outlined in the report, staff will proceed with the public engagement process and issue requests for proposals to select a construction manager and an architect. A plan to fund this project was approved in the 2024-2028 Financial Plan, resulting in a 2 per cent recreation capital levy being added to property taxes for recreation capital investment.
Residents interested in following the progress of this project and participating in engagement activities are encouraged to visit letstalk.delta.ca/Winskill and register to receive information directly.
For more information on this news release, please contact media@delta.ca.
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Background:
The Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre opened in 1977 when the population of Delta was about 65,000. The single story, ground-level building includes a six-lane 25-meter lap pool, dive tank, teach pool, hot tub, sauna, stretch room, male and female change rooms as well as four small universal (family) change rooms. There is also an annex that includes an open space for fitness classes and a multi-functional open space that serves the Boys and Girls Club programs.
A report in 2019 showed that the current Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre does not meet the building code and that many of the mechanical systems are beyond their expected service life, including the building’s electrical system, mechanical/plumbing systems, building ventilation and multiple roof systems. Since then, the City has been evaluating options to renew or replace the facility. With a population of 114,000 and growing, the existing facility and amenities are no longer adequate to serve the community and a larger facility is being considered.