Prince Albert city council unanimously approved key design details for the new Indoor Aquatics and Arenas Recreation Complex at a special council meeting on Monday.
Council voted 9-0 in favour of constructing a single-building style complex with two NHL size rinks, one with a combined seated and standing capacity of 360 and the other with a capacity of 630, along with an eight-lane 25-meter competitive pool with space for 200 spectators.
Mayor Greg Dionne said council had no interest in the campus-style design presented at an executive committee meeting back in January. He pointed to bad weather the province experienced on Monday as a good example of why a single-building style was best for the community.
“It (the campus design) didn’t make any sense,” Dionne said after the meeting. “I take into consideration our weather, and today is a perfect day to have that conversation. Today, it’s a one-building concept. If it was a campus, and you had to go to this building and then this building and then this building in this weather, it wouldn’t be nice. The key is one.”
Dionne added that he campaigned on approving a single-building design, and had no intention of changing his mind.
Council supported an 8-lane pool at the request of Prince Albert’s competitive swim community, but declined to increase the pool length from 25 meters to 50. Dionne said the extra $5-million cost was too much for the City, even though it means Prince Albert likely won’t host national swimming events. The new pool will still be big enough for provincial and regional meets.
“At $5-million dollars, that just isn’t justified,” Dionne said. “At eight lanes, they can still have regional events, provincial, and host other events, but when we looked at the national ones, you might get them once in 10 years if you’re lucky. Saskatoon built those two Olympic (size) pools (and) they’re still waiting for one.
“You can’t build something hoping that you get (an event) down the road. You have to be frugal with your money.”
Dionne added that the majority of the pool users would not competitive swimmers, and surveys showed they preferred council fund other amenities besides a larger pool. He’s confident they found a solution that’s fair to everyone.
Several Prince Albert city councillors echoed Dionne comments about the need for a single-building design as opposed to a campus.
Coun. Dennis Ogrodnick said he campaigned on supporting the new single-building recreation facility, but was shocked the design architects recommended a campus layout instead. He said the single-building proposal does a better job of meeting the goals and priorities laid out in the Community Services Master Plan.
“It was a no-brainer,” Ogrodnick said following the meeting. “We need to have an A-class aquatic centre. We need to have A-class rinks. We need to proceed with this project.”
Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp said her constituents were not happy with the campus design proposed earlier this year either. On Monday, she said she wouldn’t support a design voters didn’t like, and supported the single-building layout.
“There are a variety of opinions in the public, however I did hear from many members that there are major advantages to having a single roof for these three phases (of development). That’s why I voted in favour,” she said after the meeting.
“In the end, I think it was important to listen to the public as to what they were expecting from this very large, very high cost project.”
Council also approved the creation of a recreation centre steering committee and a fundraising committee at Monday’s meeting. The Daily Herald will have more details in Wednesday’s paper.
The goal is to have Prince Albert minor hockey teams and the Prince Albert Skating Club use the two new rinks once they’re built. Council has asked city administrators to review the Dave G. Steuart Arena and Kinsmen Arena. The future of those two facilities will be up for debate at a future executive committee meeting.
The Prince Albert Mintos and Prince Albert Northern Bears will continue to use the Art Hauser Centre until the two new rec centre rinks get built.
*This story has been edited to clarify the seating of the arenas.*
