City To Decide On 1st Steps For $150 million Recreation Projects

An artist’s rendering of a proposed sport field development as part of a more than $150 million recreation expansion project. (Photo CMH)

Council will be deciding Monday whether to move forward with the first steps in a more than $150 million recreation enhancement initiative involving a southside aquatic park and northside playing fields.

The decision items come following the city’s re-jigging of its strategic plan in November 2024 to enhance recreation opportunities and a survey on the proposed aquatic park and sports field expansion launched three-weeks ago.

City staff are recommending council approve nearly $4 million in initial development costs for the aquatic facility to be located next to École St. John Paul II School and additional sport fields next to the Big Marble Go Centre.

The city is billing resident feedback to the plans as the highest return to date for an online survey with nearly 3,000 responses. Those responses reflect overwhelming support for development of both projects.

While support for building the facilities is at nearly 75 per cent for the sport fields and more than 80 per cent for the aquatic centre, backing for tax increases to support construction dips significantly.

Only a little more than 50 per cent of survey respondents would support the estimated 3.5 to 5 per cent increase in municipal taxes. That number represents an imbalance of higher income residents versus low-income Hatters which were underrepresented in the survey.

That estimate could be reduced if the city were able to secure funding from either or both the provincial or federal governments or possibly a private interest.

Monday’s city council meeting takes place at 6:30 pm Monday.