The planned aquatic and arena recreation centre is outlined in red. (Council Agenda Package/City of P.A.)

By Alison Sandstrom

New infrastructure

Exciting features for new multi-million dollar aquatic and arena complex

Jul 16, 2020 | 5:25 PM

We’re learning more about specifications and very special features planned for Prince Albert’s multi-million dollar aquatic and arena recreation centre.

The city has put out a request for proposals (RFP) for the design of phase one of the facility, which will include two 800-seat arenas and a 47,000 square foot aquatic centre.

“It’s going to be a big deal,” city manager Jim Toye told paNOW. “It’s going to be something this city’s never seen.”

Among the features to be included in the aquatic centre design are a wave pool, a lazy river, at least two water slides and a wave rider machine that can be used to practice skiing or surfing.

“We want some very unique things like that that are going to help bring people there,” Toye said.

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Exciting items for competitive swimmers will also be included in the plan. Along with a separate regulation size short course pool (25 m), there will be a weight room for dry land training, timing touch pads, a score board/timing clock and spectator seating for 400 people.

The twin arena side of the complex will have 12 dressing rooms, a fitness room and two large board rooms. Each arena will have an NHL regulation size ice surface.

Toye said the arena and aquatic complex will be an asset for the entire region and attract major events and tournaments.

“We surely want people from P.A. to come, but we also want people from La Ronge, Shellbrook, Melfort,” he said. “It will be that kind of facility.”

The city is expected to break ground on phase one of the recreation centre in the fall of 2021 and have it open to the public by fall of 2023.

As part of the design process, the architectural firm and a team from the city will tour at least four similar facilities in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba.

Toye explained this is an important to identify best practices, as well as anything they should avoid.

“We know some of these municipalities and they will give us the goods,” he said. “If the architects did something wrong on it, they would tell us.”

Future plans for phase two

Toye said there’s still a possibility that the larger arena, slated for phase two of the longer term project could be included in initial construction, but that decision will be up to council.

Phase two, like phase one, is estimated to cost $60 million. But unlike phase one, funding for the larger arena has not yet been announced.

Toye has previously told paNOW the city is working on a business plan.

The conceptual and detailed design of the larger arena (phase two) are not being tendered at this time, but there are new details about the facility in the request for proposals for the design of phase one.

The 68,000 square foot arena planned for phase two will have WHL regulation 4,500 spectator seating capacity, a banquet room with space for 500 diners and 20 executive box suites of various sizes.

“It’s going to be a very state of the art facility, it’s not going to be a regular arena,” Toye said. “When we put them all together, it’s going to be a place where we can host large conventions, conferences, bands, entertainment, rodeos, powwows… we can easily hold any world curling event or big hockey tournament because we’ve got three arenas right there in the same building.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom