Delta’s oldest aquatic centre is substandard.
That’s according to a city staff report which notes that while the Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre has been modified over the years to offer additional programs, the spaces “are sub-standard and do not meet the growing fitness and recreation needs of the community.”
Council last week voted in favour of a staff recommendation to award an $84,000 for a consultant to undertake a conceptual design and feasibility review to develop future options for the facility.
Delta previously engaged another consultant to perform a facility condition assessment of Winskill which will assist in the architect's feasibility study.
The staff report notes three options under consideration include renovating and expanding the existing facility, construction of a brand new facility with a 25-meter pool and construction of a new facility with a 50-meter pool.
The conceptual design and feasibility review will include comparisons of construction and operating costs for those options, the report explains, noting Delta also plans to hire an independent construction management firm to advise on the constructability of the three options in the architect's review.
Two years ago, council approved the Winskill Park Master Plan, a vision for improvements that includes a phased implementation strategy tied to the redevelopment of KinVillage.
An early phase would be an addition that “would be primarily indoor fitness space, with a strong connection to the outdoor space.”
A later phase could be a replacement of Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre.
A previous report notes specific timelines were not identified other than how improvements “could best serve the community over the next 20 to 30 years, without specifics on when particular changes to the park could be enacted.”
The parks and recreation department a couple of years ago produced a strategic plan that identifies a series of short, medium and long term goals, several of which carry hefty price tags in the many millions of dollars.
Among the long-term goals is new multi-generational community centre to replace the KinVillage Community Centre and a replacement of the Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre in Tsawwassen, carrying combined estimated price tag of over $85 million.
