Regina city council approves $40M increase for indoor aquatic centre
The IAF is meant to replace the Lawson Aquatic Centre and is now projected to cost $285.1 million, states a report presented at a city council meeting Wednesday.
Originally, the IAF was set to cost $160.7 million. Citing inflation, administration announced that the budget had increased to $245.1 million in October 2024.
The city has attributed the spike in cost to 'global supply chain disruptions' as well as 'market volatility.'
A refrain heard from the majority of council Wednesday was the longer the city waits, the more the project will cost.
'Early fall is when we're putting a shovel in the ground,' said Mayor Chad Bachynski after the meeting.
Council voted 9-2 in favour of the increase. Ward 2 Coun. George Tsiklis and Ward 10 Coun. Clark Bezo voted against.
'I want it all'
A number of residents presented their stance on the increase during the meeting, from concerns over possibly deferring the construction of pickleball courts and dog parks, to worries over pool maintenance.
Ward 4 Coun. Mark Burton summarized the tension with a reference to a Queen song.
'I want it all and I want it now' Burton quoted, relating it to the variety of needs and wants of community members.
Kelly Miller said the issue of replacing the Lawson has been going on for a decade and a half.
'We shouldn't be back at this again, it should be done,' she argued.
A campaign promise by former mayor Sandra Masters who served from 2020 to 2024, Miller said cost to build the facility 'should have been half of this.'
Now, administration will finance another $10 million through city debt and pull $30 million from the five-year recreation capital plan to cover the increased budget.
Doing so, the report advises, could mean shelving several other projects until at least 2030. That includes: two new dog parks ($1.2 million) and eight new pickleball courts ($1.4 million), turf replacement on city-owned fields ($5.6 million) and rebuild plans for other outdoor pools ($21.7 million).
The additional city debt would translate to an additional $6.84 per year in taxes for the average Regina taxpayer.
With federal support, the city will be on the hook for $156 million in debt and $49.9 million in annual capital funding. The federal government and the province is set to provide $43.2 million and $36 million through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
Pickleball passion
Randy Dove, with Pickleball Regina Inc., was opposed to the idea of deferring the pickleball courts, touting the sports growing prominence in Regina and around the world.
'We need a minimum of 20 high quality courts,' Dove argued.
Ward 3 Coun. David Froh said there were many strains on other recreation needs and that there will be other opportunities for pickleball to receive funding.
But Dove asked council to 'consider the value of pickleball as a lifelong sport that's growing in the community' and said he is not asking for one to be prioritized over the other. 'Our club has no issues with the aquatics centre.'
Related
Regina's planned indoor aquatic centre is another $40M over budget, says new report
'Never going to feel good about that': Regina councillors back $40M IAF budget overrun
Councillor questions research
Ward 1 Coun. Dan Rashovich again offered skepticism over the geothermal component of the IAF. 'I believe it creates a lot of risk,' he said.
City administration said a full feasibility study was done on the prospect of including geothermal within the IAF. It would result in a $4.6-million savings over 50 years compared to natural gas, the city said.
Rashovich took issue with those estimates. He challenged councillors to 'do some research' and claimed the city was 'doing an experiment with tax dollars.' He proposed an amendment — similar to one he put forward at a past executive committee meeting — to cancel the geothermal component.
Ward 8 Coun. Shanon Zachidniak cited extensive testing done at the University of Regina since 1979 at the school's geothermal well. 'We do have testing,' she said this aspect of the project creates the possibility to study applications of geothermal heating in the city further.
'I cannot continue to rehash decisions that have already been made,' said Ward 7 Coun. Shobna Radons.
Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli asked if it's likely 'that anything remains the same price for 50 years?' Administration said no, to which Mancinelli said geothermal was 'a gift horse' that will not be subject to market elasticity like natural gas.
The amendment lost, with Rashovich and Bezo the only two 'yes' votes. Tsiklis unsuccessfully sought to table the motion.
— with files from Larissa Kurz
alsalloum@postmedia.com
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