By the end of 2021, a new activity and reception centre will be built on this site in the Smith subdivision neighbourhood (Photo: Shaun Penner)

By Shaun Penner

Activity and Reception Centre

City Council approves Smith recreation facility concept, building location

Oct 27, 2020 | 5:01 PM

The City of Grande Prairie is moving ahead with plans for a new recreation and activity centre in the Smith Subdivision.

A special City Council meeting was held Tuesday morning to finalize the location of the facility on the site, which Council voted to be built on the southern portion of the vacant land adjacent to the Rotary Soccer Fields between 93 Street and Park Road.

Council opted to place the facility on Lot 3 of the plan, though they chose to have the facility back onto Lot 2, rather than as pictured (Photo: City of Grande Prairie / Helix Engineering)

For a project costing nearly $5 million, both City staff and council have been on a much faster track than normal to get the project underway. Funding for the project was just allocated back on September 23, while the land for the project was earmarked at last week’s meeting.

The warp-like speed to get the facility up and built comes as there are some tight deadlines that must be met, as 80 per cent of the funding for the project comes from a federal-provincial economic stimulus program, with a caveat of having the full project completed by the end of 2021.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

With that, Mayor Bill Given says Council will not have the opportunity to be as involved as they normally would in the planning of a project this size, though it is understood based on the time frame.

“I think everybody on council and within administration understands that time is of the essence, and we might not have the same ability to get into the nuts and bolts of design operations, as we have in the past with more traditional projects,” said Given.

“But ultimately this was next step that was required in the process, and we’ll allow administration to develop the documents they need to move forward with preparing the Requests for Proposal or tendering for the construction of the building, and ultimately that moves us further down the road.”

The facility will serve as a recreation and activity centre, though Given notes that it will be more of a neighbourhood-scale facility and drop-in centre, not to the same scope as a place like the Eastlink Centre.

“It is not intended to have specific sport infrastructure inside. So, it’s not going to have a wood basketball court,” said Given “It will be a utilitarian, multi-use facility, intended to meet a variety of recreational activities and need.”

The facility’s other purpose is to act as an emergency reception centre for the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership in the event of situations like natural disasters which lead to evacuations.

“Over the last number of years, we have seen a number of situations where there have been floods and fires and all sorts of different things happening, and we’ve recognized that open, flexible space like this can provide a great opportunity for a reception centre if there is a need to house displaced people.”

Given adds, to his understanding, the facility will have some office spaces, a reception desk and washrooms with showers.

“But other than that, it will be just a big, open space,” said Given.

Full design details have not been finalized yet by City Administration.