Jason Stockfish | [email protected]
Renovations are coming to the Jasper Activity Centre and the committee of the whole met on April 26 to discuss and prioritize the future facelift.
The renovations under consideration are divided into those that are 鈥渞equired scope鈥� and those that are 鈥渃ouncil requested scope.鈥�
Many of the required changes pertain to 鈥渂uilding code and life safety deficiencies,鈥� 鈥渁ccessibility improvements鈥� and 鈥渓ife cycle renewal and maintenance,鈥� issues that demand little debate.
Repairs to structural metal columns in the pool area, the replacement of corroded piping, upgraded ventilation and CO2 sensors, and the upgrading of major electrical infrastructure are some examples of the required work.
A significant required renovation is the installation of an elevator to connect all floors of the activity centre, allowing those with mobility challenges to make full use of the municipal facility.
The council-requested scope items are all changes related to improving the buildings鈥� program functionalities and making the facilities more easily accessible.
Some of these requested options include expanding the west end of the building to create space for five more dressing rooms and additional space for the Zamboni room on the ground floor.
Constructing a second floor above the potential new dressing rooms to serve as a viewing lounge that connects with the existing upper pedway is also a future possibility.
Currently, to travel between the senior鈥檚 centre and the main lobby of the activity, users must exit the building to bypass administrative offices before reentering.
To make it easier for those in the senior鈥檚 centre to access all floors of the building without having to first go outside, the possibility of reconfiguring the administration office and relocating the senior鈥檚 centre has also been discussed.
Other potential renovations up for consideration include the conversion of one handball court into a multipurpose room, converting an unused sauna in the basement of the activity centre into a universal washroom and the full renovation of the basement washrooms in the activity centre.
Each of these improvements comes with a price tag, some larger than others.
The totality of the current required renovations that are not up for debate is estimated at $10,160,444.
These costs are already funded by grants and taxpayer dollars and have been accounted for in the municipality鈥檚 budget through 2023.
If all of the council requested scope items were to be approved, an additional $6,980,502 would need to be found.
After a lengthy discussion, Mayor Richard Ireland agreed with administration鈥檚 recommendations and suggested a motion to approve the activity centre renovation required scope items with an amendment to include three items from the council requested scope.
1) The arena dressing room expansion to the west and south including zamboni room expansion and new storage room
2) The conversion of the unused sauna to a third universal washroom in the activity centre basement
3) The complete renovation of existing change rooms and replacement of lockers, architectural finishes and fixtures in the aquatic centre.
If council takes the committee鈥檚 direction and approves the three requested items, the projected additional cost is $3,831,491.
These potential renovations have not yet been funded but administration has suggested sources of funding if council approves the added renovations.
Around $1.1 million would be funded by debt, $900,000 would come from the Federal Gas Tax/Canada Community Building Fund and the remaining $1.8 million would be provided by Municipal Sustainability Initiative Capital Funding.
Council still may decide to add or eliminate renovations from the list.
Administration projects that there is $7,578,003 in 鈥淔uture Required Scope鈥� that will need to be spent on the municipality鈥檚 recreational facilities in coming years and budgets.
Ireland added that he would like to hear from the public on the matter before council addresses the issue at its May 3 meeting.
