Moncton's north end centre expected to break ground this spring
A long-sought recreation centre in Moncton's growing north end is one step closer to breaking ground this spring.
Moncton city council gave first reading Tuesday to a bylaw rezoning land from residential to community use.
The $15-million centre is expected to include an indoor playground, indoor splash pad, gym, walking track and community space.
The 35,000-square-foot centre is set to open in fall 2020 in a part of the city that's rapidly expanded in recent years.
It will be along Twin Oaks Drive, which the city will extend south past École Le Sommet to the Ryan Street roundabout this year.
YMCA ownership
The city partnered with the YMCA of Greater Moncton, which will operate and own it.
"I think it's an exciting step for us," said Zane Korytko, the CEO of the YMCA of Greater Moncton.
"We're one step closer now to seeing the project for the citizens of the north end come to fruition."
The plans for the facility are scheduled to be reviewed by the city's planning advisory committee Feb. 27.
A public hearing for the rezoning will take place at the March 18 city council meeting, with final approval expected after that.
Designs for the building are about 75 per cent complete, Korytko said.
"As soon as we get a little bit of a thaw, we would hopefully be in the ground by early spring," he said.
Parking restrictions
Bill Budd, the city's director of urban planning, outlined conditions of the rezoning that include maintaining a wooded buffer of 15 metres between the facility and nearby homes and reducing the required number of parking spaces.
Budd said the facility will have 155 parking spaces, below the 325 normally required for a facility of its size.
Korytko said based on the use of the YMCA parking lot at its facility near downtown, he's confidence 155 spaces will be enough.
He said he also hopes people will walk, bike or use public transit to reach the facility.
"We're really hopeful that people are going to actually get healthy by coming to the Y and not just driving to the Y and getting on a treadmill," he said.
The city, provincial, and federal governments are spending $4 million each on the building, with a fundraising campaign by the YMCA raising the remainder of the cost.
Future plans
The facility will be constructed to allow for future expansion.
Coun. Susan Edgett asked whether that could include a branch of the Moncton public library, an idea raised when residents were pushing for construction of the centre.
Catherine Dallaire, the city's general manager of recreation, culture and events, said the Moncton public library has begun talks with the province about the idea.
"We may be a few years out, but it's nice to see that the design would allow for an expansion to accommodate that," Dallaire said.
