Completion date for ATB Centre Phase 2 on track
The second phase of the Lethbridge Crossings leisure complex on the westside is on track for its projected completion date.
The Cor Van Raay YMCA fitness centre will be a community-inclusive centre featuring an aquatic area, fitness centre, running track and multi-use gymnasium, child minding area, indoor playground, locker rooms and commercial use areas.
The $111-million project was carefully planned around making the facility accessible and easy to use for every type of person in the area.
Ashley Matthews, project coordinator for the City of Lethbridge, said meeting with different community groups allowed them to construct a safe and functional facility.
“In the aquatics centre we have a zero-depth entry to the pool as well as lifts in the other pools for people who have any sort of accessibility issues to allow them to have access,” said Matthews, during a media tour on Thursday.
“We took a lot of time with our change rooms; we have public change rooms for male and female, an all-gender change room as well as adult only male and female change rooms.”
The aquatic facility is the most anticipated attraction because of additions that haven’t been seen in southern Alberta, like the lazy river, wave pool, waterslides, beach entry leisure pool, lap pool and a surfing simulator.
Ross Jacobs, director of marketing for the YMCA, is excited about the move to the new facility not just for the activities being added to the community, but also for the amount of jobs it will create.
“The aquatic facility alone will employ 80-100 lifeguards and aquatic staff and that alone dwarfs our staff right now so we will be one of the largest employers on the westside and that is a really good opportunity for us,” said Jacobs. “Families can have recreation and employment on the westside and it allows them to do things with their family they might not have been able to do before.”
Phase Two has already employed around 700 trade workers since it began construction in 2016, with over 80 per cent of the workers being local hires.
Nationally, the YMCA is recognized for its leading, affordable child-care program which prompted them to create a new area in the building for families to have extra support near their home.
“The daycare centre will have 62 spaces available and that allows us to then offer families who work and have to commute to make the decision to have affordable care here, and the facility follows the YMCA program,” said Jacobs.
The new addition is almost double the size of the first phase ATB Centre, spanning over 250,000 square feet with 5,000 cubic metres of concrete and over two million pounds of steel supporting the structure. The facility was designed to expose the outside with oversized windows and open space areas to help create an environment that is spacious and welcoming to everyone.
The Cor Van Raay YMCA facility is projected to be finished construction by the end of the year, followed by the anticipated grand opening in mid 2019. The YMCA wanted to inform people that with the new facility, the rates for membership will remain the same as they are now, ensuring no matter what financial situation someone is in, the YMCA will always help find a program to get you into the facility and take part in the programs.