Recreation centre for southeast Winnipeg could start construction in 2026

Residents in the expanding southeastern corner of Winnipeg might finally see construction ofa new recreation facility 15 years after the topic was first raised.

The city islooking for a contractor to do a feasibility study for a rec centre in the Bonavistaneighbourhood. It issued a request for proposals late last week with a deadline of Sept. 24.

The facility wouldbe about 20,000 square feet and include a gymnasium and smaller multipurpose rooms, with some outdoor components, such as a hockey rink andsoccer fields to start, the request for proposalssays.

An 11-acre parcel ofland between Warde Avenue and EvelyneReese Boulevardhas been set aside.

Public meetings will be held to determine what type of recreation facility would be best and how it can be developed over time as the population grows.

Bonavista is tucked in between the neighbourhoods of Island Lakes,Royalwoodand Sage Creek an area with a population in the tens of thousands but lacks appropriate amenities, Coun. Brian Mayes said.

"There's no library, there's no running track. There'sa lot of stuff that isn't out there," he said.

"But I think these people deserve some sort of community facility where they can meet, so hopefully we can get all three levels of government on the same page and get this thing built. I'm trying to start with the rec centre and then move on to the library somewhere in Sage Creek."

Plans to build a recplex in the area go back as far as 2009, andMayes said it's his "number 1 priority"to getshovels in the ground by 2026.

The facility serve would the established and new neighbourhoods in the area, and take pressure off theSouthdale and Winakwacommunity centres, which have been serving the larger region by default.

The city has so far set aside $5 millionfor the new facility, which Mayes expects to cost around $15 million total.

The release of the RFP comes a little over three months since a citycommittee voted to approve taking on $23 million in debt to cover cost increases on construction of a recplex in Winnipeg's southwest.

The estimated cost of building South Winnipeg Recreation Campuswas $71 million when council first approved the budget five years ago, but that has since climbed to$94 million.

Thecampusfacility, which willserve a catchment area of 120,000 people, is expected to include three gyms, a running trackand fitness facilities.