A report on Kincardine’s future indoor recreation needs says the municipality’s existing facilities should meet the requirements for a few years to come, but some changes will be necessary.
Todd Brown of Monteith-Brown Planning Consultants says recommendations for the Davidson Centre include dedicated youth space, a gymnasium, revitalizing the entrance, making the recreation offices more visible, and modernizing the aquatic facility.
Brown says the community showed forward thinking in the mid-1970’s when the decision was made to build the Davidson Centre as a central, multi-use facility.
He says an architect will be looking closer at the building to get a better idea of what changes it may need in the future, but he sees no reason at this time to completely replace it.
However, Brown says the process is about looking at what facilities exist today and seeing if it can be revitalized for future needs or if it should be replaced on another piece of land.
The report states the municipality needs two arena ice pads, and Recreation Director Karen Kieffer says that is based on the two existing pads, one at the Davidson Centre, the other at the Tiverton Arena, which the report recommends be left as-is.
Kieffer says she was aware that there is demand for the gymnasium and that ice surfaces are extremely busy.
Council has already applied for a federal grant towards the gymnasium project.
Representatives from local minor soccer and triathlon groups want to be sure their increasing needs for indoor facilities will be taken into consideration.
Jay Dunlop of Kincardine Minor Hockey says 20 thousand children use the Kincardine and Tiverton facilities combined each hockey season.
He’d like to see the former senior’s space at the Davidson Centre be used for minor hockey activity instead of its proposed use as a youth centre.
Former Mayor Glen Sutton suggests a completely new facility be constructed that combines a new high school and follows environmentally-sustainable standards.
Resident Gail Walden agrees, saying the Ministry of Education is currently favourable to the idea of combined facilities.
The recommendations in the report are based on feedback from discussions with local recreation and athletic groups, as well as the results of survey forms.
The next step in the plan involves consultants developing a business plan to estimate the costs associated with the needs.
The final report will then go to council for approval.