Cambridge council votes to proceed with recreation centre design
Despite escalating costs, the City of Cambridge is forging ahead with construction of the town’s new Recreation Complex and Idea Exchange library facility.
City council provided approval to continue the project’s design development process on May 17. This is despite the fact that the initial cost for the project has jumped from $66 million to $101 million. At the meeting, city staff blamed increasing costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and supply chain constraints.
The building is one of two to be sited in a 32.5-acre, joint-use, community hub to be constructed at the south end of the city.
The city says it plans to issue an RFQ as soon as possible to procure design architects who will complete two concepts of graduated value and undertake public consultation. The concept design and budget will be approved by council before moving to detailed design, which is currently scheduled to take place in 2023.
“This is an essential space that will serve as a true community hub, where people can connect, learn and grow. It’s about wellbeing and building an overall sense of community,” said Mayor Kathryn McGarry. “This is an incredible partnership and investing in spaces like this are key to building a thriving, healthy and prosperous city for all.”
“We’re excited to see the project moving forward with the design team,” said Helen Kelly, Idea Exchange CEO. “The new Idea Exchange location in a shared facility will serve as a welcoming and vibrant community destination for the Southeast Galt residents."
Municipalities all over Ontario are experiencing construction market price volatility. The Statistics Canada Construction Cost Index indicates a 15.3-percent increase from Q4 2020 to Q4 2021. These trends are especially impactful to large-scale developments such as the Cambridge Recreation Complex and Idea Exchange library facility and have resulted in timing and budget challenges for the project.
The city says that despite these constraints, progress is being made. It, Idea Exchange and project management consultants, Colliers Project Leaders have committed to a staged and flexible approach to advance the facility to the design development stage — with cost containment measures prioritized to respond to the volatile market.
One of those solutions, McGarry said, was to lobby senior levels of government for grants to support the facility, and to use development charges or issue debts to cover the bill.
City Council approved a partnership framework to guide the design, development and operation of a community hub in southeast Cambridge in February 2021. The site will include the Cambridge Recreation Complex, the Idea Exchange Library, as well as two elementary schools and a childcare facility.
The two schools will share one facility, while the Recreation Complex and Idea Exchange will share the other. The two facilities will frame a community park.
A 125,000 square feet, the net-zero carbon facility will be the biggest construction project the city has ever undertaken.
If all goes well, construction is expected to be complete by 2025.