Woodstock surveys residents on possible $100M recreation centre

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Woodstock politicians are seeking citizen feedback about a proposed new recreation centre in the city’s northeast that could cost as much as $100 million.

A unanimous vote by city council has paved the way for a North Woodstock recreation facility survey that will allow citizens to weigh in on the proposed facility. They can say what components, such as ice rinks, could be included in the rec centre, which would be located off Springbank Avenue North and reach 13,500 square metres.

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“This (will) be really interesting to see from not only the user groups, but the general public, what they want to see, what they expect to see, and then the priority levels of each element,” Mayor Jerry Acchione said of the proposa, still in its infancy.

Politicians were told the core components include two ice pads, a gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms, costing about $67 million to build and take up about 8,900 square metres. It would cost $18 million and add about 1,780 square metres to add an indoor pool.

There is also an option to add a curling rink and a childcare space that would cost around $15.5 million and cover about 2,600 square metres.

Woodstock park’s and recreation director Brian Connors – who drafted the report encouraging a recreation facility survey – said the estimated costs would be available to survey respondents.

“I believe that a survey that doesn’t include what the fiscal costs of each area would be tends to be skewed to ‘yes, we want everything,’” Connors said.

The operating cost of the recreation centre is estimated at about $1 million annually.

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A new facility that includes two rinks also will aid Woodstock’s need for more ice pads as a local arena nears the end of its lifespan.

Connors’ report states that Civic Centre arena – one of three existing ice pads in Woodstock – is approaching “the end of its lifecycle,” noting costly expenses would be required to update the arena. An outside study supports decommissioning the arena and relocating it elsewhere.

“It’s clear that we need a lot more ice time,” Acchione said. “There’s not much doubt in our minds that two ice pads are probably going to be needed.”

Acchione said emerging interests in sports such as pickleball is a motivator to add gymnasium space. He also cited the public’s growing indoor swimming participation as an incentive for citizens to provide feedback on what spaces they’d want a new recreation centre to support.

The prospect of a new recreation facility is “absolutely exciting,” Acchione said, but added he is cautiously enthusiastic about the project due to steep construction costs.

“What cautions me is the price tag,” Acchione said, adding a looming population growth may make the investment necessary.

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An analysis presented to politicians indicated Woodstock’s population had grown 19 per cent since 2016 when 40,600 people lived in the city to about 48,500 in 2024. It suggested Woodstock’s population was projected to swell another 21 per cent in a decade to around 58,800 people by 2036.

Acchione said staff is eyeing the new year for when Woodstock will begin seeking feedback from residents.

bwilliams@postmedia.com

@BrianWatLFPress

The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada

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