Council Approves Construction of Aquatic & Wellness Centre

In a defining moment for the Town of Saugeen Shores, Council has approved the construction and financing of a new Aquatic & Wellness Centre, alongside a reimagining of the Town’s Municipal Office and Council Chambers.  The decision means the Town will build the nearly $50 million project without having to raise taxes.

The approved location of the new centre is east of the existing Municipal Hall and Plex Arena.  The main elements include:

• An Aquatic Facility (eight (8)-lane, 25-metre pool; leisure/therapeutic pool; pool viewing area).
• Walking Track
• Wellness Centre (conditioning centre with weights and fitness equipment, gymnasium & storage, fitness studio, multi-purpose rooms)
• Common Use Areas (change rooms/washrooms; offices/customer service areas; mechanical/filtration/storage)

Council expects the project to cost $49,948,500, which the Town will pay for through operating revenue, development charges as well as steady payments through the Town’s Legacy Fund.  Council anticipated the need to support the building of a new pool: they created this Fund in 2019 to support large projects, including recreational sports and cultural centres. 

“I am very pleased with Council’s decision to build the Centre,” said Mayor Luke Charbonneau. “This facility – along with the Lamont Sports Park – is why we established the Legacy Fund in the first place.  It also shows how Development Charges are helping to build a better community as we grow. Our careful planning means we can now build two world-class recreational facilities that will generate enormous economic benefits, while serving our residents for decades.”

The plan also includes a redesign of the Municipal Offices using the Workplace 2.0 concept.  This would create a new office space that is more modern, with a better use of space and technology to foster productivity and worker well-being.  The municipality hired a consultant for that planning through the 2021 Modernization Funding Program (Intake 3), a $100,000 provincial grant to develop modern workplaces.

“Our municipal offices were built in 1999, when our population was 20% smaller and static,” says Charbonneau. “Since then, we have grown significantly, and we expect to keep growing.  That means not only creating resources to serve the public better, but also changing the way we work.”

The changes are expected to allow staff to work more productively to meet the residents’ needs for the next 20 years.  Reconfiguring the offices at the same time as the Aquatic & Wellness Centre build will increase economies of scale, as well as appropriate usage of the site.

The Legacy Fund will have over $6 million immediately available for the project and is able to contribute yearly after that.  According to the financial plan, the Centre’s operating revenue will recover the project’s start-up costs by 2030.  As well, the Town’s Development Charges (DCs) by-law allows 50% of the project’s funding to come from DCs.  Finally, the Town is exploring several federal and provincial grants to help pay for the project.

The Town has already issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a construction management firm. Staff will begin interviewing top candidates next week.  Staff will recommend a successful bidder to Council in January.  That management firm will then work with staff and the Prime Consultant on the project’s final design.

Council has directed staff to report back on how to incorporate more green elements into the project while staying within the approved financing plan.

Construction is set to begin in the summer of 2023, with a planned completion date of early 2025.  For the complete staff report, presentation, and budget, click on the Council agenda HERE.