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New Aquatic Centre Current Situation and Next Steps

Home...FacilitiesNew Aquatic CentreNew Aquatic Centre Current Situation and Next Ste...
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Aquatic Centre West View

The City of Yellowknife is building a new Aquatic Centre. Below is an overview of the project. 

2022 Aquatic Centre Accessibility Consultations

Clark Builders, the Aquatic Centre design-build team, hosted Aquatic Centre Accessibility consultations on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The sessions were open to all Yellowknifers, and will assist Clark Builders in designing a facility that is accessible and meets the needs of the community.  

  • Session 1: Tuesday, March 29, 2022, City Hall Council Chamber, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
  • Session 2: Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Multiplex Meeting Room, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Level Playing Field Inc. (LPF), an accessibility consulting firm and industry leader headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, facilitated the consultations on behalf of Clark Builders. LFP was established in 2015 by Darby Lee Young, a Top 25 Women of Influence (2021), Top 40 Under 40 (2021 & 2018) honouree, recipient of the 2016 Calgary Stampede Western Legacy Innovation Award, and para-alpine skier. LFP has completed over 150 projects across Canada and in different industries, specializing in evaluating, developing, and implementing Universal Design and best-practice principles for all urban environments through industry expertise and first-hand lived experiences.

Each session began with a Design Team and a universal design understanding introduction. The relationship between the Accessibility Code and the Building Code were explored before accessibility considerations are discussed in more detail. Items for discussion included but are not limited to entrances, washrooms, colour contrast, wayfinding/audible and visual cues, and site-specific considerations.

Following the sessions, Clark Builders and their consultants will continue the design for the Aquatic Centre, taking into consideration the feedback from the community. Yellowknife residents will be consulted again in June 2022 on the accessibility elements, when the design is expected to be 60% complete. This will help to ensure that the facility is meeting the needs of the community.  

For more information, email AquaticCentre@yellowknife.ca. 

2021 Aquatic Centre Consultations

By-law No. 5044, a By-law to authorize the City of Yellowknife to borrow up to $10,001,000 for the development of an Aquatic Centre, received Third Reading at the Monday, December 13, 2021 Council Meeting. Following Third Reading, Minister Shane Thompson, Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, approved By-law No. 5044.

The City has awarded the contract for the design-build proposal of Clark Builders and construction is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

A referendum to determine if the City can borrow up to $10,001,000 to finance the development of the Aquatic Centre took place on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, by mail-in ballot and voters supported the borrowing of funds.

The results were as follows:

YES: 1857 NO: 735

The City expects to award the contract for the design-build proposal of Clark Builders by the end of January 2022, and for construction to be completed in 2024.

For all voting information, visit www.yellowknife.ca/Referendum. 

Cost and Design of the proposed Aquatic Centre

As part of the process of planning for the proposed Aquatic Centre, the City consulted with user groups and residents to find out what the public wanted to see in a new Aquatic Centre. Based on those consultations, the City commissioned an Aquatic Centre Design Plan, developed by Taylor Architects, and Aquatic Consultants MJMA. The Design Plan details the facilities to be incorporated in the proposed Aquatic Centre.

A Request for Qualifications was issued by the City in June 2021. Based on responses to these expressions of interest, three companies were identified as having the interest, resources, and qualifications to successfully complete the project. In July , 2021, the City issued a request for proposals for a design-build of the proposed Aquatic Centre. These companies are Bird Construction Group, Clark Builders, and PCL Construction Management Inc. All pre-qualified companies are located in either Yellowknife, NT or Edmonton, AB. In September 2021, the City selected the design-build proposal of Clark Builders. Their proposal is costed at $67,735,329 excluding GST. 

The City is undertaking a Design-Build construction methodology for the development of the Aquatic Centre. What this means is that one entity — the design-build team — works under a single contract with the City to design and build the Aquatic Centre. Accountability resides with the single contractor to meet timelines and budgets, is more efficient, and costs are less likely to escalate. The budget is identified and finalized during the design phase, therefore the City — and residents — are aware and approve of the cost before construction begins.

Development of the proposed Aquatic Centre will be paid for with a combination of federal and municipal sources:

Federal

  • Small Communities Fund (New Building Canada Fund)
  • Formula Funding
  • Gas Tax Funding

Municipal

  • Community Public Infrastructure Funding
  • Capital Fund
  • Major Community Facility Reserve
  • Borrowing

Given funding available from federal and territorial sources, the City will need to borrow only a small proportion of the funds needed to build the proposed Aquatic Centre. The City must borrow $10,001,000 to fund its contribution.

Residents of Yellowknife will be asked to vote, in a referendum in November 2021, on whether to approve borrowing by the City. A majority of voters must vote to support the referendum to enable the City to borrow the required funds.

Annual municipal taxes are expected to increase by an estimated 1.27% to cover the annual operation and maintenance costs of the proposed Aquatic Centre, once the facility is open.

Proposed Timeline

If a majority of eligible voters vote in favour of the City borrowing to fund a portion of the construction cost, the City will enter into an agreement with Clark Builders, and work on the proposed Aquatic Centre will begin in 2022.

If a majority of eligible voters vote against the City borrowing to fund a portion of the construction cost, work on the proposed Aquatic Centre will not move forward and the City will need to explore ways to extend the life of the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool and make the facility accessible in line with new legislation.

Assuming that results of the referendum support the development of an Aquatic Centre, this proposed timeline will see the completion of the facility in the mid to latter part of 2024.

Aquatic Centre Project

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Federal Build Canada Fund - $12,900,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Budget - $75,000 for Public Consultation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Council adopt the TOR for the establishment of ACAC

 

 

 

Q1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stantec carries out public consultation process with ACAC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments and Feedback compiled and deliberated by ACAC and adopted by Council

 

 

 

Q4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Council approved $1.75M to advance Aquatic Centre Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

City contracted TAG to provide consulting services as the Aquatic Centre Bridging Consultant

 

 

 

 

Q4

 

 

 

 

 

City contracted Colliers to fulfill the role of Project Manager

 

 

 

 

Q4

 

 

 

 

 

TAG engage with the community

 

 

Q3

 

Q4

 

 

 

 

Council adopted the Aquatic Centre Design Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q1

 

 

 

City pre-qualified three (3) Design Build teams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design Build RFP released

 

 

 

 

 

Q3

 

 

 

Design Build proposals will be reviewed and rated

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q4

 

 

 

Winning proposal to be brought forward to Council by way of Borrowing By-law

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q4

 

 

 

Aquatic Centre Construction Period

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How can we find more information about the proposed Aquatic Centre?

The latest information on the proposed Aquatic Centre is available and frequently updated on the City website. The City will be providing updates to the media, stakeholders, and residents through a variety of platforms (website, social media, signage, advertising, Capital Update, fact sheets, etc.) as the development of the aquatic centre evolves. All media inquiries can be directed to communications@yellowknife.ca.

To stay up to date with the latest developments around the aquatic centre consultation, visit our Aquatic Centre page.  Have questions? Email AquaticCentre@yellowknife.ca.

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