Proposed east side leisure centre will look much like Shaw Centre, says Saskatoon councillor

A leisure centre being planned for Saskatoon's east side Brighton neighbourhood will look a lot like the west side's Shaw Centre, says Ward 10 Coun. Zach Jeffries.

"We're going to be designing a joint-use facility, basically an east side Shaw Centre, that allows us to start our planning, going to the public and talking about what leisure and recreation facilities [will] look like," said Jeffries.

The province has committed to building two high schools attached to the centre.

Now the city is asking for public feedback via an online survey to find out what people want to see in the facility.

The area in dark red needs a leisure centre, according to the city. (City of Saskatoon)

Jeffries said city council and the city's two school division have been lobbying for these facilities for years.

He said the growth of the city, especially in the northeast area, justifies a new leisure centre.

"Last year we added 14,000 people to Saskatoon, and you don't have to go very far in the east side in neighbourhoods like Evergreen, Aspen Ridge and Brighton to see that," Jeffries said. "So if we're going to grow, we're going to have to grow those facilities as well, and that's what new high schools and new recreation facilities are all about."

The proposed east side leisure centre is expected to be much like the Shaw Centre. (City of Saskatoon)

Andrew Roberts, the city's director of recreation and community development, said there is no firm timeline on when the new centre will open, but he is hopeful it will be built in the next four to five years.

"If we assume anywhere from a year or so for design, and two to two and a half for construction, we could tentatively say that we're hoping to have the facility open sometime in 2028," Roberts said.

"The plans are that it would contain a lane pool for lane swimming, a leisure pool, hot tub, sauna, gymnasium, fitness room, weight rooms, multipurpose spaces or meeting rooms, as well as childminding spaces."

Roberts also said renovations to Harry Bailey should be completed before the new centre opens.

"It's an older facility that needed some renovations and a little bit of love."

Jeffries said the funding for the leisure centre and the two high schools is already in place.

"The city has figured out their funding plan," he said, adding the province and federal government are also on board.

Saskatoon's Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre is closed for renovations, but is expected to reopen in the next couple of years. (Supplied by the City of Saskatoon)

Joint plan with YMCA

The city also has a plan to partner with the YMCA on the new leisure centre.

The proposed facility would accept city leisure cards as well as YMCA memberships. YMCA members would have access to additional programming.

Jeffries said that while that type of partnership might be new to Saskatoon, it has been done in other cities across Canada.

"I'm looking forward to people in our neighbourhoods, whether it's Brighton, Willow Groves, Evergreen, Erindale, Arbor Creek, all of those areas, being able to have another place to gather, to gather with family, to gather with community, to go to school."

The city's survey is online at saskatoon.ca/engage.