Residents get look at new community centre

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2010 (5591 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Silver Heights residents got their first look at plans for a new amalgamated community club last week.

Sturgeon Creek and Silver Heights community centres were merged last year in anticipation of the construction of a new $4.5-million Sturgeon Heights Community Centre.

Sturgeon Heights president Linda Smiley and Prairie Architects unveiled design concepts for the new club to be located on Sturgeon Creek Community Centre’s current site at 210 Rita St. during the July 7 open house.

The merger of the clubs was part of the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres’s Plan 2025 that was released last year.

 The document is a blueprint for city-owned community clubs and had the joining of the two clubs as one of its top priorities.

All three levels of government are contributing $1.5-million to the project, which must be completed, or close to completion, by March 31, 2011 in order to access federal funds.

Smiley termed the open house, which was attended by approximately 30 community members, a success.
“It was a better turnout than I thought and I think if there were more, people would have had more issues with it,” Smiley said.

The new 16,300 sq. ft. LEED-Silver facility will feature a multi-purpose room, four change rooms, and a 5,900-sq. ft. gymnasium that will be the largest community centre gym in the city.

The new centre will be home to three outdoor hockey rinks, making it one of the few city clubs to be able to boast that.

Current plans call for both clubs to remain open during the construction of the new facility.

Once the new building is complete, programs from the Silver Heights club will be moved and the Ness Avenue property will be sold with proceeds from the sale being used to fund construction of the new facility.

As well, the current clubhouse at the Rita Street site will be demolished and the area landscaped.

Mary Sloan, who has lived in the community for 65 years, said a new club for the area is long overdue.

“I’m really impressed and I can’t wait until it gets done,” Sloan said.

“What impresses me is that they have a multi-purpose room that can be divided for smaller groups that is separate from the gymnasium.”

Coun. Scott Fielding (St. James-Brooklands) said during the open house that the city has allocated an additional $300,000 to $400,000 for a splash pad at the new facility and is looking to involving more area seniors in the new building.

“A seniors component is an important element and we’re working with the St. James Assiniboia 55+ Centre to look at how that might work in the future,” Fielding said.

However, not everyone supports the project.

Harvey Hill, 66, said that a new facility is unnecessary and the money could be better spent elsewhere in the area.

“Why don’t we spend some money and build an indoor rink,” asked Hill, a past president of the SCCC.

The final design plans will go to tender on Aug. 1. If approved, construction could begin by late August.

trevor.suffield@canstarnews.com