Clarification
While a specific $22.4-million expansion of Servus Place for a 25-metre, eight-lane pool is currently on St. Albert's unfunded capital list, additional pool space has been on that list since before the 2017 election.
A local aquatics advocate says it is disenchanting to see city council “out of sync” with the wishes of St. Albert residents on expanding pool lane space, after council assigned no dollars in this city budget to adding a new pool to Servus Place.
On Thursday during 2020 budget deliberations, city council voted against a motion to fund a nearly $80,000 public engagement piece for the lane pool project, in addition to deferring any planning for a new recreation centre next year.
Administration was also recommending council approve $900,000 to draw up preliminary designs and do studies in 2020 for a new recreation centre, a project which didn't receive council support Thursday.
Coun. Jacquie Hansen’s motion to take the public’s pulse on whether to go ahead with a new lane pool at Servus Credit Union Place or wait for a new recreation centre was overwhelmingly defeated, with only she and Coun. Ray Watkins voting in favour.
Mayor Cathy Heron said she has always believed Servus Place was not the ideal location for a new pool, and she thinks many residents do not care whether a new lane pool is built at Servus Place or coincides with a new recreation centre.
She added her preference would be to have a recreation centre in the “underserviced” northwest.
Werner Biegler, past president for the Sailfish Swim Club and a long-time advocate for new swim lanes in the city, said residents were very clear when in 2017 they voted in a plebiscite for more pool space.
“It’s really disenchanting to see this council just out of sync with the wishes of the people of St. Albert,” Biegler said. He added there are a lot of aquatic groups in St. Albert that have been unable to get off the ground because lane space is in such short supply.
An aquatics expansion to Servus Place has remained on St. Albert's unfunded capital plan since the 2017 election.
The plebiscite pulled over 12,000 votes in favour of expanding aquatics space, representing 55.7 per cent of respondents. At the same time, 61.7 per cent of voters rejected St. Albert building a new branch library.In 2020, St. Albert has a new storefront library set to open, which Biegler said is another sign council is “out of sync” with St. Albert voters.
“The voters didn’t vote for another recreation facility,” Biegler said. “This is council putting their wishes ahead of, you know, 12,000 voters. The voters voted for expanded aquatics facility; if they’re going to talk big recreation centre, that’s not going to happen for another two decades.”
Pausing planning
Speaking to her motion to defer $900,000 in recreation centre planning, Mayor Cathy Heron said she is feeling pressure from the public to maintain core services and avoid spending on “nice to have” items.
In the past, St. Albert has spent a lot of money on planning – such as on a branch library, which never went ahead – and it should only happen when the city is ready to build, Heron said.
“Until I can look all six of you in the eyes and say we’re committed to build a rec centre, I think we should save $900,000,” she said. “I’m not saying I don’t want a rec centre – I do – but it’s going to cost millions of dollars.”
In September, city council reviewed three land options for where a new recreation centre could find a home, including costs to service the parcels. No commitments have been made, and the city has yet to decide what recreation services would be offered.
Councillors Natalie Joly and Hansen both voted against delaying recreation centre planning next year. Joly said recreation is core to St. Albert’s values, and there are no facilities in the northside.
Hansen said she does not want to see the planning delayed, and there are “a lot of partners” waiting for the city to advance.
Coun. Ken MacKay said he understands both sides, but St. Albert risks sending “a bunch of mixed messages” on something as important as community amenities by not committing to planning.
Heron responded, saying it sends mixed messages to plan something the city is unable to follow through on.
“We’re going to give people the wrong signal if we start planning a rec centre we’re not committed to investing in, and I don’t know if I’m ready,” she said. “We lost capital funding from the provincial government, so we do not have money to spend on this right now.”
The city will still work on identifying the right site for a future recreation facility, however.
Planning for a recreation facility would have included solidifying partnerships, conducting necessary studies and public engagement along with drawing up a preliminary design.
Heron said if the city does commit to building later in the year, council could revisit approving spending on planning.
