Council commits $16.4 million

Regional council made a big splash this week before adjourning until the new year.

The splash actually came before the decision to make a onetime $20-million contribution to the construction of a community stadium.

“This is a great day,” Coun. Waye Mason (Halifax SouthDowntown) said in recommending $16.4 million in capital spending over three years for the construction and replacement of the Halifax Common aquatic area.

“This is one of the most heavily used spaces for recreation on the peninsula and it's deeply loved despite its dilapidated state. … It's not really up to the standard that you would expect on a premier public space like the Halifax Common.”

Coun. Lindell Smith (Halifax Peninsula North) said he doesn't remember it ever being up to standard.

As a kid growing up in Uniacke

Square, Smith said his friends would sometimes suggest going to the Common pool for a swim.

“We'd all kind of look at ourselves and say, ‘ah, actually, are we sure about that,'” Smith said.

“It was looked at as a dirty, gross pool. It's used to the extent that there are lineups, we have to rotate kids every 15 minutes so they can get a turn. The change rooms, you can't just wear flip-flops, you have to wear whole haz-mat suits.”

The municipal staff report that accompanied Tuesday's motion told of a public swimming pool and wading pool being built in the Common in the mid-20th century before the Central Common was upgraded with a new softball diamond, tennis courts and a pavillion that was built in preparation for the Canada Summer Games of 1969.

Denise Schofield, director of parks and recreation for the municipality, told council that it had asked for an update of the Halifax Common several years ago. Public consultation and dialogue with all the stakeholders followed.

“The list of asks, what people want the Common to be for them, far exceeds the space that we have,” Schofield said. “Phase 1 of that (ongoing) work was always intended to be this aquatic area because we recognize the state it is in.”

The plan is for a new 25-by48-metre outdoor pool, with one-third of the area being a beach entry zone with a shallow incline. The depth of the pool will be 1.8 metres and it can be roped off to create swimming lanes.

The facility splash pad will be separate from the pool and will feature a variety of spray features. The splash pad will be placed outside the fenced area to allow better public access during times when the pool is not in operation or at capacity.

The playground would be relocated to the area north of the skatepark in the site of the current splash pad and pavilion building.

The estimated project budget of $15 million to $17 million would cover demolition of the existing aquatic pools, playground and pavilion building, construction of a new outdoor pool, splash pad and aquatics building.

The new playground construction and landscaping and pathways are included in the projected cost.

Construction is expected to start in the fall of 2021 after the pool closes for the season and is to take 12 months with some components of the project completed for the fall of 2022 and the new aquatics facility opening for the summer of 2023.

Council voted 14-3 to commit $900,000 for 2020-21, $7,625,000 in the 2021-22 budget and $7,875,000 for 2022-23.

Councillors Matt Whitman (Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets), Richard Zurawski (Timberlea-Beechville-Clayton Park) and Steve Adams (Spryfield-Sambro-Prospect Road) voted against the motion.

Whitman said he voted in favour of the long-term aquatic strategy approved by council in May but “that doesn't mean I have a blank cheque for whatever price comes up for these projects.”

“The number is just out of control for me,” Whitman said. “You could build the nicest house you wanted on the Northwest

Arm with a waterslide and a splash pad and you'd be nowhere near $17 million. To do this on the Common, I think that the pricing is out of whack.'

Zurawski lauded Mason for working on behalf of his constituents but said it's time that the residents of his western Halifax district, a region he describes as the third fastest growth area in the municipality, to get a fair shake on recreational facilities.

“Our recreational centre is an old school, 80 years old, it's ramshackle and held together with spit and baling wire,” Zurawski said, adding that new developments will bring 2,500 residential units to the district in the near future.

“We had thought we were going to get one (recreational facility) three years ago, but with the new aquatic plan, we find that the money that had been allocated for our rec centre is now funnelled through to the (Common) aquatic centre.

“I will not support this until we get some equitable redistribution of funding for other areas. None of my constituents will be attending this pool, splash pad complex.”