4 new Calgary recreation centres move forward

A City of Calgary committee has recommended council look into borrowing up to $250 million to build four new recreation centres in Calgary.

The Priorities and Finance Committee says council should also approve the remaining capital budget appropriation of $289.9 million and direct administration to proceed with the detailed design and construction of the recreational facilities.

A city application for federal government funding was rejected last fall.

Ald. Shane Keating had expected the plan to be approved because the facilities are badly needed in Calgary's northwest and southeast.

"I think we're looking at about 84,000 children under the age of 14 in that area," he said. "You know, we can sit back I guess and say, 'We can't afford it, we can't afford it, we can't afford it,' and in the interim it never gets done."

The new recreation centres will be built in the communities of Great Plains, Quarry Park, Seton and Rocky Ridge.

Keating says the funding plan does not involve raising taxes to repay the debt.

City council approved a financing strategy in February to use provincial infrastructure money, developer levies and GST rebates to build the facilities.

Council’s final approval is needed to execute the financing strategy and prepare the borrowing bylaw to a maximum amount of $250 million before work on the new recreation centres can start. The topic is expected to come up at council's June 25 meeting.