Though completion of the South End Community Centre is now anticipated in 2025, the planned public opening remains set for late 2024. This, explained the city’s general manager of facilities and energy, is to allow time to “fine-tune” some critical systems.
“These additional commissioning activities will not interfere with the facility from opening to the public,” said an email sent on behalf of Antti Vikko. “During this period of commissioning, these critical systems will be ‘fine-tuned’ to ensure that the building is operating in an optimal manner, as it relates to energy usage and the project’s sustainability goals.”
The $80 million, 165,000-square-foot facility was approved by council last year, to be built off Clair Road beside Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, just north of the Larry Pearson baseball complex. It is to include a 25-metre pool with eight lanes, two gyms, two ice pads, indoor walking track and five meeting rooms.
The project will go out for tender shortly, Vikko noted, with construction expected to begin next spring.
Council agreed to add $12 million to the project last fall – it was previously estimated to cost $68 million – with the inclusion of environmentally sustainable technologies and features, as well as general inflation.
Some of those features are designed to lessen the potential for future electricity price increases, as well as provide $87,000 in annual savings compared to the previous design and bring down greenhouse gas emissions by 85 per cent.
About 85 per cent of the facility’s cost will be paid by development charges, though a loan is needed to cover about $40 million in yet-uncollected charges.
No budget changes are anticipated.
