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Photo: La Glace and District Agricultural Society / Facebook
By Shaun Penner
La Glace Regional Recreation Centre

County engaging external firm for recommendations on La Glace Rec. Centre construction

Dec 12, 2020 | 10:58 AM

Before the County of Grande Prairie hands out any further funding for the construction of the La Glace Regional Recreation Centre, County Council has sought input from an outside architecture and urban planning firm for recommendations on what the future of the facility should be.

At its last meeting, Council awarded a Request for Proposal of up to $10,000 to TBD Architecture and Urban Planning to provide their insights and recommendations.

Reeve Leanne Beaupre says with construction at a standstill and costs continuing to surpass initial projections, County Council wants to have a clear understanding and focus for the project.

“I believe Council is not comfortable moving ahead, giving any further funding, until we have a more in-depth idea of what the true costs are to bring it to an arena standard.

“Or, to re-purpose it to some other recreational function.”

Earlier this year, the La Glace and District Agricultural Society (the owner/operator of the facility) sought a $6.8 million debenture loan from the County to help complete the third phase of construction, which would make the facility fully operational.

As it sits now, the arena’s exterior and a concrete floor has been poured, which has given the arena some usable function, including serving as the host facility of the annual “Small Town Bringdown” and other events.

Council directed Administration at that meeting on October 19 to investigate what the cost would be for engaging an independent engineer or architect to verify the scope and cost of completing phase three, as well as provide alternative recommendations for the centre and bring back detailed costs to a future Council meeting.

“This funding ($10,000) has been allocated so we can have that (higher) level of comfort knowing what this facility will become.”

The project broke ground in 2017 and was estimated to cost $6.6 million at that time. The County has contributed $333,333 per year towards construction costs since 2018 and will do so for another three years.

The County says that brings their total contribution to the project to $3 million.

Jade Nyland with the La Glace and District Ag. Society, in conversation with EverythingGP back in May following the completion of a fundraising harvest for the arena, said the arena is an important facility of the community.

“It’s the hub where everyone goes to visit. They go for lunch. They go to engage in sports. It’s our concert hall. We’ve had markets in there, so it’s kind of everything to our community and that is why we are so passionate about it and we’re working so hard to fund-raise to build it.”

Beaupre adds she hopes the recommendations can not only help the County but provide some insights for the Ag. Society too.

“We just want to be able to make sure that we can help them with some decisions that they are going to have to make in the future.”

by Shaun Penner