Vocational wing at Waverley West complex step closer

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This article was published 11/07/2024 (790 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A civic committee has agreed to increase the budget for the construction of a vocational wing at a Waverley West recreation complex after the provincial government agreed to foot the bill.

The property and development committee, at a special meeting held Thursday afternoon, agreed to raise the vocational wing construction budget of the South Winnipeg Recreation Campus by $6.7 million, to a total of just under $15 million.

“We’re building this vocational wing on behalf of the province for the Pembina Trails School Division,” committee chairwoman Coun. Sherri Rollins said.

“We won’t have to pay for this. The provincial government gave approval for the hike and we held a special meeting just for this.”

Rollins said the matter next goes to council’s executive policy committee and finally city council for approval.

A provincial spokesman said they are withholding comment about the project now, but will comment during a ceremony at the site later this month.

The vocational wing is part of what the city is calling “a new regional multi-use, multi-generational” recreation campus in the Waverley West area beside Pembina Trails Collegiate.

Phase 1 of the construction, starting this year, will include gymnasiums, multipurpose rooms, an indoor walking track and fitness area, an outdoor spray pad, and a child-care centre. It’s expected to cost $94 million after originally being estimated at $71 million.

The city also agreed to build an addition to house vocational programs onto the neighbouring high school — if paid for by the province.

Future phases of the recreation campus could include a swimming pool, library, outdoor leisure space, hockey arena and athletic fields.

A fire and paramedic station is also slated to be built in the area.

The facility’s price tag had Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of the civic finance committee, expressing concern earlier this year that Winnipeggers will be disappointed when they see what $94 million will get them.

“It seems like a pretty lame facility for that much money,” Browaty said in April.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca