Saanich is set to begin work this year on a massive, multi-year re-imagining of Lambrick Park that could include a new ice facility, rearranged playing fields and new amenities.
Council voted this week in favour of a phased approach to upgrading the area known as the Lambrick Campus, bordered by Torquay Drive and Feltham Road and including Gordon Head Recreation Centre, baseball diamonds, a lawn-bowling facility, playing fields, a lacrosse box, skate park and tennis courts.
Mayor Dean Murdock acknowledged the work has been a long time coming and could take some time.
“There are a lot of expectations around what this future use could look like and I think that the timeline reflects the reality of the competition of interest for the use of that site,” he said.
“Just like the current rec centre, which is now over 50 years old, this one’s going to be here for at least 50 years. So we want to make sure whatever gets built there is going to serve future residents.”
Murdock said the district’s recreation centres are bursting at the seams and demand is steadily growing.
“I think that what we’re recognizing is that there’s a clear need to grow our recreation and parks opportunities here.”
That need will be more acute in 2026 when the Ian Stewart Complex on Gordon Head Road closes. The facility, home to Victoria Racquet Club Kings Minor Hockey Association and the Racquet Club of Victoria Skating Club, is due to be closed by the University of Victoria to make way for housing.
That decision helped convince Saanich to look into including an arena in renewal plans for the Lambrick Campus.
The first phase of the project, which will start this year, includes compiling technical reports and determining community needs and the constraints of the site, as well as community engagement.
Phase 2, likely next year, will include coming up with a transition plan to keep the site’s facilities available as the project gets underway as well as a financial plan to make it happen.
The third and fourth phases will see detailed design and concept drawings, as well as permits and financing.
Council provided $500,000 in provincial grant money last year to help fund the early phases of the project.
“There’s going to be a lot of work involved in trying to shape all of those competing demands down into three possible concept plans, and then there is the question of how we are going to pay for it,” said Murdock.
A consultant’s report prepared for Saanich last year showed a new arena alone could cost $39.9 million, while twinned ice sheets in one facility could cost $61.7 million.
Coun. Susan Brice said it’s important for the district to deliver an improved facility to handle the growth in Saanich in the next few decades, especially with increasing multi-family development on corridors like Shelbourne Street.
“We’re going to have some families who are not going to have a backyard,” she said. “They’re going to have children that need different kinds of activities.
“This goes way beyond us thinking about ‘I really hope we have an ice rink, or I really hope we have whatever.’ This is much bigger.
“It is envisioning where Saanich is going be and what facilities they’re going to need.”
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