(Photos: City of Weyburn for turf photo, @treavortuff for exterior photo)
The City of Weyburn is on schedule and on budget with the construction of their recreation and culture centre, the Credit Union Spark Centre, which is 96 per cent complete in the construction phase.
City council heard an update on the project from Andrew Crowe, Leisure Services director, during their meeting held via Zoom on Monday evening.
The building phase by Wright Construction is mostly done and is on track to be done by March, when the equipment and building systems will be tested and approved before the facility is turned over to the City for out-of-contract construction and equipment installation to occur, said Crowe.
“It’s going to be spectacular for a city of our size. We’ll be the envy of the province for sure,” said Crowe.
In their comments, councillors were very pleased with how the new facility is shaping up, including Coun. Jeff Richards, who said the new centre will be a “crown jewel of Weyburn” that is one more reason Weyburn is still regarded as the best place to live on the prairies.
Coun. Ryan Janke noted he showed his son photos of the new facility, and said, “I hope every kid is as excited about this as he was.”
Coun. Dick Michel added that the centre enhances Jubilee Park, which he always regarded as a jewel for Weyburn, and is not only for the citizens of Weyburn but for those of surrounding communities as well.
In his report, Crowe noted that Wright Construction had been on site for 733 days as of Monday with 52 days left before they’re done, and the testing and commissioning of the facility will begin after that.
“We’re nearing the finish line,” he said, noting most of the rooms and facilities like the half-FIFA size indoor soccer field are done or mostly finished, including the basketball nets in the mini-gym, the washrooms, multi-purpose rooms, gallery and pottery studio all nearing completion.
The City has a number of requests for proposals out right now, with answers expected by early March for council to make decisions on later that month, with an RFP expected to go out soon for a small food vendor space in the new building.
“We’re 96 per cent complete, and we remain in good standing to be completed for September of 2021,” said Crowe, adding in his last update he said they were 90 per cent done, but he later found out that number wasn’t quite accurate with some items not done yet.
A number of sponsorships, donations and grants have come in, with the total sitting at just over $2.6 million so far and some announcements are pending, said Crowe.
Showing a photo of the artificial turf installed for the indoor soccer field, Crowe said this should last the city for a good 25-30 years, “as long as we maintain it properly”, and displayed the area where four simulators are going to be installed. They will be fitted with 79 golf courses and several multi-sport games, even including zombie dodgeball, and suggested this will be an area that will receive a lot of interest and rentals by groups in the community.
By late summer, the City will install the boards for the outdoor rink, and it will be ready along with the rest of the facility for the opening in September.
Asked if there are still sponsorship opportunities available, Crowe said there are, including five change rooms remaining to be sponsored, along with the arts area and the synthetic turf areas as other examples.
“This is going to be very much a crown jewel for the community and for the whole regional area,” said Mayor Marcel Roy.
Crowe said the City is benefitting from all of the planning and hard work at the front end of the project as the facility takes shape and nears completion, “which set us up in the position that we’re in right now.”
