The City of Delta has issued a request for proposals for an architect to come up with a proposed design for a replacement facility for the Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre in Tsawwassen.
The design phase is to begin in May 2024, with completion by January 2025. Public and user group consultation will be gathered along the way.
The construction contract is to be awarded by late spring 2025, with excavation beginning next summer.
The construction is completed by late summer 2027.
The existing Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre will stay operational throughout construction of the new facility, so utilities cannot be disrupted to current operations.
The new Winskill will be approximately 6,000-square metres and located within Winskill Park, but the exact location will be determined early in the design process.
Mayor George Harvie recently made his preference known, telling council he would like to see the new facility built adjacent to the current building, rather than fronting 56 Street, so that there would be no loss of field use.
The new facility will contain a gymnasium, a separate 25-metre, 8-to-10 lane swimming pool, a leisure pool and teach pool, as well as an accessible hot tub, sauna and steam room, enhanced fitness areas and weight room, multipurpose spaces, and an area for Boys and Girls Club to match the current size of their leased space on the bottom floor of the annex.
The design is to also include enhanced parking.
The details of the Winskill rebuild will take place during the planned design.
The city intends to use the construction management delivery model on the project, with the construction manager’s contract awarded separately through another request for proposals which was also recently issued.
Meanwhile, as far as how many trees will be impacted, a recent report to council notes that the city commissioned two reports four years ago to take inventory and understand the health of the trees at the Winskill Park. The reports identified 596 trees in the southwest/west area, with 317 in poor health, 269 in moderate health and 10 in good health. Since that time, the city has removed 25 trees.
A further assessment will be held, but the city would install additional trees at other locations to compensate for any losses that occur.
