Let’s head back to Jan.17, 1976 when dignitaries were plentiful for the sod turning for the new covered pool at Winskill Park in Tsawwassen.
Alderman Ernie Burnett ran the shovel to dig the first hole.
Fast forward to 2024, and the city is planning to replace the Winskill Fitness and Aquatic Centre with a new facility
Five years ago, the city commenced a feasibility study to look at the options for replacing or upgrading the building.
The assessment concluded that the various facility mechanical systems are at the end of their service life, and although structurally sound, the facility does not meet current building codes.
It was subsequently determined that the current facility won't be replaced with a new building,
Proposed renovations would have resulted in a facility that would have extended the service life of the building for at least 30 years, according to a staff report at the time.
However, the plan has now changed as staff noted the cost to upgrade compared to a new facility would be almost equivalent. A more recent analysis concluded that the two options would result in very similar construction costs in the range of $120-130 million.
Coun. Rod Binder at Delta council's discussion on the plan this week noted that what to do with the Winskill facility had been on the agenda when he was on the parks and recreation commission back in 2016. He said at that time, some on commission worried the project would be stuck in “analysis paralysis”.
The new facility is to be completed by 2027, at which time the old building will be decommissioned,
