After five years of exploration, stakeholder discussions, and community engagement, Springbank's recreation centre is entering new stages and taking shape.
At the Tuesday, July 22, Rocky View County Council meeting, councillors conditionally approved Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project, which includes as $14 million Community Event Centre and an $11.5 million Springbank Park For All Seasons facility expansion that features an indoor running track and turf fields.
The County has been working with both the Springbank Park For All Seasons and the Springbank Community Association to explore how recreation projects can be delivered in a way that meets community needs and makes the best use of available land and funding.
Because of that reason, both proposed projects joined forces to advance as one project earlier on it the year.
Chief Administrative Officer Reegan McCullough, explained that the Recreation and Parks Master Plan identified Springbank as a high priority for recreation and community amenities in the short, medium, and long term.
"Community desire for amenities including facilities, pathways and trails, and cultural or community uses has increased," McCullough said. "The County has supported recreation initiatives in Springbank including the purchase of 75 acres of land and the approval of the South Springbank Community Facilities Business Case."
An open house was held by the County on June 19th, where 115 people from across Springbank came to ask questions and hear plans for the South Springbank Facility Business Case. Additionally, 131 surveys were completed online.
The results of the community engagement identify that residents are supportive of additional recreation amenities on the County’s parcel in Springbank, with approximately 61 per cent of respondents supportive of indoor turf and track amenities. An additional 19 per cent were supportive of the events centre.
"An additional amenity that was consistently mentioned was a fitness centre, which is currently not contemplated in either business case," McCullough pointed out. "Respondents indicated support for constructing both phases concurrently, whether as a single integrated facility or as two separate buildings, to potentially achieve cost efficiencies."
Some confusion came from the fact both projects were now being suggested to move forward at the same time, with Division 4 Councillor Samanntha Wright vocalizing her concern.
"We're now recommending that we do both, which was not my understanding," Wright said.
McCullough explained this is still a very preliminary stage and plans can still change. What is happening is now, he said, is a follow-through from what was heard during public engagement.
"Putting the two projects, whether you put them on the same project, whether you build them at the same time, build them now, build them in five years-- all of them have different cost scenarios," McCullough explained. "It wasn't just as simple as 'do you want them build both now'?"
He said council may still choose to re-scope or re-sequence depending on the design and funding plans that come back.
"We are also not recommending using tax revenue. We said it would be a combination, and we said that could be reserves, that could be grants, and could be tax revenue and could be debt as well," MuCullough clarified. "When projects are inter-generational, debt financing is often a tool that is used in combination with others."
Administration will now complete the preparation of the final design, cost estimates, funding strategy, and operating models of the South Springbank Community Facility and present to council for final decision by Q1 2026.
Council directed Administration to complete the final design for the facility at a cost that does not exceed $1 million, funded from the Springbank Recreation Reserve.
Should the entire project costs exceed the estimated budget of $25.5 million, recommendations will be provided to re-scope, re-sequence, or seek additional funding for the project.
Both Wright and Division 1 Councillor Kevin Hanson voted against the motion, throwing support behind alternative project options.
