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Winter Games plan includes field house
March 9th, 2007
Facility to be built as part of new community centre
By Alton Doubleday - The Weelky News
The Build It Right Committee is "excited and thrilled" that Halifax regional council has announced a field house will be built on the Halifax Common for the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
The indoor field house will be the venue for table tennis and badminton during the Games, I and will be available for public use afterward for indoor sports such as soccer, lacrosse, flag football and basketball.
The field house will be in addition to the $14.5-million community centre that HRM plans to build on the Common.
That facility will include a six-lane, 25-metre pool, a variable-depth, warm-water pool and a warm-water hydrotherapy pool. There will also be a fitness centre, indoor walking track and meeting rooms.
It is expected to be 57,000 square feet, or about twice the size of the Northcliffe pool it's replacing.
Build It Right has been negotiating with HRM for the past three years for an improved plan for the community centre. field house was on its wish list.
"The Build It Right vision and what's being proposed by HRM has come a lot closer because of having the Canada Games," said Susan Kirkland, co-chair of Build It Right.
Mary Wile, councillor for Clayton Park Westand a member of the Canada Games Committee, said the committee has not yet met to discuss the costs of the field house or how to combine it with the community centre. She expects the field house to cost as much as $9-million.
The money is expected to come from a partnership with the federal and provincial governments.
"In Build It Right's perspective, we are now very happy with the dry-land side of things," said Kirkland. "We would now like to have the opportunity to expand the wetland or aquatic side."
Build It Right has asked HRM to expand the pool to 50 metres.
Wile says a larger pool is not likely to happen, because HRM and the YMCA are focusing on community recreation and not competitive sports. The YMCA will be managing the community centre, but not the field house.
