Penticton, B.C.’s city council has approved the site location of the municipality’s new Summerland aquatic centre. The project will deliver a facility nearly double the size of the current centre.
According to a news report from The Penticton Herald, council confirmed the site at its meeting on Feb. 28. This motion turned down an alternatice, Kelly Avenue site where the existing, 46-year-old aquatic centre is located.
A majority of council liked the idea of putting the new facility on Jubilee Road, reasoning that it will allow the existing pool to continue operating during construction, while eventually creating a central recreation hub with space for potential expansion down the road.
The centre will feature a 25-metre, six-lane lap pool, leisure pool, 20-person hot tub, change rooms, two multi-purpose rooms and office space over a total of 3047 m2 (32,800 sf) which is about twice the size of the existing facility.
Consultants estimated the cost of construction at approximately $38 million and placed the new pool’s operating deficit at $650,000.
In order to gain public assent for borrowing money needed to construct, council targeted the second quarter of 2023 for a referendum and in the meantime, district staff will look for grants for the project to help lessen the cost for local taxpayers.
