Community Centre Feasibility Study

Culture, recreation and sport services greatly enhance community members' quality of life, promote personal health, and foster social connectivity. These facilities also drive tourism and economic growth. In 2023, community engagement and research conducted for the Sport and Recreation Needs Assessment identified demand for new and improved indoor amenities to accommodate structured and spontaneous activities for a growing population.

The District of Lake Country acquired a cold storage facility next to the Winfield Arena that is planned to be retrofitted into a community facility. The location of the building and site next to the Winfield Arena presents an opportunity to create a multi-use ‘hub’ that can meet identified and future needs for a variety of community purposes.

The District is undertaking a Community Centre Feasibility Study to ensure that next steps and investments into the site are guided by sound information and a clear understanding of opportunities, needs, benefits, and resource requirements. The study is being undertaken in two phases.

• Phase 1 involves engagement with the community and other research to explore potential best uses for the site.
• Phase 2 translates the Phase 1 findings into conceptual options with high level capital and operating costs.

Engagement with community groups and organizations that provide programming, use facilities and organize events is an important aspect of the project.

NOVEMBER 2025 UPDATE

The Phase 2 report is now available for review here. This document translates the Phase 1 findings into conceptual options with associated cost impacts identified. The second phase of the study built on the analysis of community need and demand by applying a viability lens to the potential spaces that considered additional factors such as technical feasibility, space synergies, existing building conditions, and phasing. The feasibility study will ultimately be used by the District to support future decision making, partnership discussions, and resourcing decisions.

The space program identified in this Phase 2 report suggests a focus on the following primary core spaces:

• Turf field with elevated walking track
• Library
• Gymnasium
• Flexible Fitness and Recreation Areas
• Arts and Culture Dedicated Spaces (including display, exhibition, maker, and support areas)
• Community Meeting Space

The above noted spaces meet the criteria for community need, benefits, and are viable within the existing facility conditions. While other types of recreation facilities (e.g. arena, pool, etc.) have strong demand and benefits rationale, they are not deemed as a viable fit for the community centre retrofit based on existing conditions and infrastructure needs. As such, these spaces should be further explored and potentially developed as new build projects.

The estimated capital cost for the full facility build-out is $63,589,107 (Class D estimated; +/- 30% 18 times out of 20). Should the District decide to phase the project, the following capital costs are estimated to apply to the following three phasing clusters:

• Arts and culture, library, lobby, and administration space: $23,587,444
• Gymnasium, flexible fitness and recreation space, community meeting space, food and beverage, and storage: $28,313,155
• Turf field with track: $11,688,508

Operational cost analysis reflects that the facility could operate at close to a break-even position, but may require some level of subsidy. The ability of the facility to secure lease arrangements and attract rental groups will be key variables impacting future revenues and the overall level of subsidy required.

Updates to both the estimated capital and operating costs should be undertaken on a move forward basis as decisions are made on phasing, potential partnerships, and lease agreements with prospective tenants.

JUNE 2025 UPDATE

The Phase 1 report is now available for review here. Highlighted below are several key conclusions from the initial phase of the study. These conclusions reflect key takeaways from the research and engagement contained in this Phase 1 report that will require further exploration through the options identification and analysis that will be undertaken as part of the second phase of the study.

• The Lake Country Museum & Archives and Lake Country Art Gallery have outgrown their current spaces. Having access to larger and more optimal spaces at the community centre could enable these groups to grow programming, events, and better meet their mandates.
• There is a general need for flexible and adaptable space for events, exhibits, art studio / maker purposes, and meetings / seminars. The conditions and configuration of the current facility are well suited to meet many of these needs in the short-term.
• Based on available benchmarks, Lake Country is deficient in library space. The evolving and diversifying service needs of libraries along with projected population growth is likely to further stress the current library space in the coming years. A new library of between 9,000 – 16,000 sq.ft. should be explored. Co-locating a library with other recreation and cultural amenities also presents an opportunity for space and programming synergies.
• Review of market supply, trends, and the community engagement support the benefits of including large span multiuse space in the facility. This could include a turf field and/or court space. Further exploration is required through Phase 2 on how this space could be configured within the facility.
• Community demand for indoor aquatics in Lake Country was reiterated through the engagement. Phase 2 of the study will need to further investigate whether a pool is technically and financially viable as part of this project.
• Indoor training space for groups using the adjacent arena is limited. The existing facility conditions are well suited to easily fitting up for dry-land training and skills training purposes.
• Residents and community groups are excited about the possibility of the new community centre becoming integrated into a “campus” site that is interconnected with existing indoor amenities, quality new outdoor space, and future residential development in the immediate vicinity of the facility.

While this Phase 1 Report focuses on community need and opportunity identification, several key planning considerations and factors will ultimately impact the potential uses of the facility:

• Technical viability of renovations or retrofits within the current infrastructure conditions.
• Cost (capital and operating).
• Risk profile of different space uses.
• Potential opportunities and synergies with adjacent facilities and future development.
• Partnership opportunities (relating to both space use and fundraising).

These considerations and factors will require further exploration through Phase 2 of the study and subsequent partnership exploration and planning undertaken by the District subsequent to this study.