Parksville Aquatic and Recreation Centre

February 4, 2021

We wish to clarify information provided on Let’s Talk Parksville and address concerns expressed by residents about the proposed location for the Parksville Aquatic and Recreation Centre.

For Phase 1 of the feasibility study for the Parksville Aquatic and Recreation Centre, the Despard Avenue site was selected as a test site for conceptual design and further consideration. Most of the facility, as shown on preliminarily conceptual plans, is envisioned to be located on non-parkland parcels owned by the City. A small section of park is shown as providing potential parking and access for the multiplex facility and Parksville Wetlands. This section is about 0.8 hectares (less than 2 acres) of the 35.4 hectares (90 acres) Parksville Wetlands property. The proposed location is expected to have no impact on the wetlands, located some distance away, and the proposed location assists with preserving second growth trees to the south of the site (as noted in the environmental overview assessment report prepared by WSP Canada and available on the project site).

The map included with this release is intended to better show the location of the proposed facility in relation to the surrounding land. It must be noted that these are early ‘proof of concept’ plans and further adjustments should be anticipated. The preliminary environmental assessment indicates the watercourses in the project area do not interact with the wetland features, but enhancement work for the watercourses could be designed to benefit the ecology of the wetlands and other features to the north, located on the parkland.

In 1997, the Wetlands property was privately owned and the City registered an agreement to allow for public recreation access to the land; this covenant area is wholly unaffected by the proposed project.

The information provided to the public in the phase 1 feasibility study is intended as a starting point and opportunity for public input and to finetune the concepts presented. We will engage in in-person community consultation as soon as it is safe to do so. In the interim, we encourage public input through the Let’s Talk Parksville site and via email at Letstalk@parksville.ca

February 1, 2021

At the February 1 meeting, Council moved to release the “Parksville Pool and Multiplex Facility Feasibility Study” to the public along with background information, staff reports, studies, assessments, and stakeholder engagement session results, now available on the City’s public engagement platform, Let’s Talk Parksville. The first step in a complex multi-year process, the report summarizes the feasibility and benefit of a multi-use aquatic centre in Parksville and shows Despard Avenue as the test site for the facility.

In 2019, Council directed staff to engage the services of HDR Architecture Associates to undertake the pool and multiplex feasibility study. Work began in January 2020 with the feasibility report finalized in December 2020. A series of workshops and stakeholder sessions were hosted by HDR in March 2020 and due to the pandemic, planned interactive public consultation events were postponed to the next phase of the project.

As soon as it is safe to do so, extensive and varied in-person community engagement will be facilitated. In the meantime, we look to online engagement opportunities and encourage residents to share comments, ideas, ask questions and signup for project updates through Let’s Talk Parksville. Comments to Council on this project may also be emailed to letstalk@parksville.ca.

During phase 2, the detailed design phase of the Parksville Aquatic and Recreation Centre project, the community will be asked to provide substantial input to finetune and define the concept presented in the feasibility study. Based on this community input and the results of studies and assessments during phase 2, we expect substantial changes to the conceptual plan elements. In this phase, the City will engage a consultant to facilitate community involvement and provide final detailed design and cost estimates for construction of the project and its operations. When detailed design, cost estimates and potential grant funding elements are determined and prior to construction, electors will be asked through a referendum for approval to borrow.

Quote:
Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne said, “Council is pleased to announce this exciting project for multi-use and recreation facilities for our community. This is Parksville’s largest project to date and will provide amenities, programs, services, and a social gathering space for seniors and young families for years to come. During the next phase of the Parksville Aquatic and Recreation Centre project, we will engage the community in a series of robust public engagement opportunities.”