Saanich’s Pearkes Recreation Centre is receiving just over $2.8 million from the federal and provincial governments for a new heat-recovery system and mechanical upgrade.
The work is set to begin in the fall of 2023 and be completed in late 2024, and is expected to cause service interruptions. The funding is from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and CleanBC Communities Fund.
The recreation centre, with two ice rinks, a gym, a library branch and trade-show space, attracts about 425,000 visitors annually.
In August 2019, a burst water pipe caused a major flood at the facility and forced the evacuation of the Saanich Archives, closed the Saanich Centennial library branch and threatened the building’s foundation. The broken pipe caused $500,000 in damage.
As part of the new project, existing HVAC equipment will be replaced with a new system that’s expected to provide more consistent heating and cooling throughout the complex and help reduce the building’s greenhouse-gas emissions by about 85 per cent — the equivalent of moving about 80 cars from the road.
It’s also expected to help cut maintenance costs for other mechanical systems and improve ventilation/air filtration in the fieldhouse.
The budget for the project is estimated at $3.9 million, which includes more than $1 million in capital funding from the municipality, about $1.3 million from the province and more than $1.5 million from the federal government.
Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes said the municipality is “incredibly grateful” for the funding help for the energy refit.
“These upgrades at our well-used community centre support our goal of reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy efficiency in our municipal facilities with an added benefit of improving comfort for our patrons.”
