Residents invited to give feedback on leisure centre study

A waterslide? Wave pool? Walking track?
    Ashley Matthews doesn’t know what components will make up the city’s proposed leisure centre near the new library and school complex at The Crossings but the recreation and culture manager can firmly pinpoint the purpose of the facility.
“We have a competitive facility in the city already and we don’t want to compete with that,” he said. “The goal is recreation and leisure. We can see this facility really becoming the hub of the community, a place that has programming but is also for drop-in and spontaneous play. That’s really the concept.”
The city is holding two public open houses as part of its leisure centre study aimed at determining if there is a future need in the community for such a facility and to examine what components could be included. The open houses are scheduled for Jan. 31 at Nicholas Sheran School gymnasium and on Feb. 1 at City Hall. Both sessions run 7-9 p.m. and will offer an opportunity for questions, a chance to meet those involved and view artwork of the different components of the potential leisure centre.
For those unable to attend the open houses, information will be shared on the city’s website, www.lethbridge.ca, shortly after the open houses take place, and feedback and questions can be directed to Matthews at 403-320-3991.
The public consultation comes about nine months after city officials decided to delay work on a pair of ice arenas that were to have opened by September 2013.
Group2 Architecture of Red Deer, along with local firm Ferrari Westwood Babits Architects, were selected in the fall to work on a study into the possibility of an expanded project. Group2 has been involved in many well-known leisure centres built throughout the province such as Collicutt Centre in Red Deer and the Meadows Community Recreation Centre in Edmonton, plus members of the team worked on the University of Lethbridge’s 1st Choice Savings Centre for Health and Wellness.
The concept design will be presented at another set of public meetings in April, he said.
“We’ll know then what will make up the facility itself, how the project will look in the big picture and the construction costs.”
While this is only a study, the work done now will help guide the process should the city move forward in the future to build such a complex. The final report from the study is expected to be presented to city council in May.
Matthews said he’s visited eight different recreation-lesiure centres in the province and was surprised by the amount of activity inside and range of ages using those facilities.
“It’s exciting. It could be a huge opportunity for the community. I can see this being of benefit to the community for a long period of time.”