The findings of a recreation needs study for Kincardine’s Davidson Centre are out.
Anan Desai of Monteith-Brown Planning Consultants says they undertook an analysis of all indoor municipal recreation facilities and decided the core ones were those at the Davidson Centre.
The study recommends upgrading the swimming pool at the facility to allow for more leisure activities and to add an adjacent therapeutic pool.
Based on needs over the next 10 years, the study says Kincardine has sufficient ice rink space, combined between the Davidson Centre and the Tiverton Arena.
51 per cent of those who responded to a survey done for the study ranked swimming as the most popular activity at the Davidson Centre.
34 per cent rank ice sports as the most popular.
The study recommends converting the existing sun room at the Davidson Centre to arts and craft space and to add a double gymnasium instead of the single one set to be built using two-thirds federal and provincial infrastructure funding.
Another suggestion is to to use the former seniors room on the upper level for a new youth area.
A new addition to the Davidson Centre, featuring more accessible seniors space and a new fitness centre opened last year.
Councillor Guy Anderson says much of the information in the study seems anticlimactic to him because some of the work has already been done.
Councillor Kenneth Craig suggests that as needs for the Davidson Centre change in the future, the municipality could consider a phased redevelopment of the facility, similar to what is being proposed for the Kincardine hospital.
Desai says the municipality has made positive steps already, noting it was good they were able to secure the federal and provincial funding for the gymnasium project.
Deputy Mayor Laura Haight says it’s interesting that so much of the report has already been utilized prior to it being finalized.