St. Thomas council sent municipal staff searching for funding sources, potential development sites and other answers to a myriad of new questions arising from a feasibility study that pegs the cost for a new community and aquatic centre at $100-million and the cost for an indoor turf sports dome at $14-million.
“Staff consider (the Community and Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study) to be a helpful and constructive exploration of a potential project and an important step in identifying an opportunity to develop a new community asset,” St. Thomas Director of Parks and Recreation Adrienne Lacey-Griffin said in her report to council at the March 9 meeting.
“However, it does not provide the depth of analysis that staff would regard as sufficient to support implementation at this stage,” added Ms. Lacey-Griffin. “Given the scale of the proposed investment, further work is required to fully evaluate the financial implications for residents, particularly with respect to affordability and the potential effects on other strategic priorities, recognizing that any funding would be drawn from the City’s currently constrained property tax base.”
She said municipal staff are overhauling the City’s long-term financial planning framework in order to address “significant change and future investment pressures.”
Ms. Lacey-Griffin said there will be a reassessment of the Yarmouth Yards financial modelling for future growth, as well as a development charges background study and bylaw update, plus a long-term property tax policy strategy, an asset management plan update and long-term departmental capital budgets.
“Together, these efforts are intended to establish a coordinated and comprehensive financial framework to support council in making informed decisions on major investments,” said Ms. Lacey-Griffin. “Until this broader framework is established, staff are not in a position to appropriately assess the financial feasibility of the proposed aquatics centre.”
She even suggested council should consider partnership and sponsorship opportunities.
Council received the feasibility study report, disbanded the Community and Aquatic Centre Steering Committee, chaired by Councillor Lori Baldwin-Sands, and resolved to manage the project in Committee of the Whole in order to streamline consideration of the options open to council.
Council is motivated by forecasts which predict the city’s population will increase from about 43,000 residents in 2021 to about 79,500 residents by 2051.
When Central Elgin, Southwold, Malahide, and Aylmer are added to the mix, the total catchment population is projected to reach approximately 133,660 residents by 2051.
“Growth is anticipated across all age cohorts, including significant increases in youth, families, and older adults,” said Ms. Lacey-Griffin. “Seniors are forecast to increase by approximately 119 percent by 2051, underscoring the need for accessible, multi-generational recreation infrastructure.
“These demographic shifts form the basis for the facility demand analysis contained within the study,” she added.
Ms. Lacey-Griffin said the public engagement program for the project included nearly 3,000 survey respondents, about 50 community organizations, public meetings, youth engagement sessions, and staff and council workshops.
About 79 percent of survey respondents said development of an indoor aquatic centre should be a high priority, while 80 percent supported consideration of funding partnerships. There was broad support for multi-use, multi-generational recreation facilities, although survey results also emphasized affordability and accessibility.
The feasibility study said a $69.9-million “baseline” community and aquatic centre would include one 25-metre, eight-lane pool, one leisure pool, a double gymnasium, multi-purpose program spaces and an indoor playground. The estimated operating subsidy would amount to about $1-million.
The enhanced $100-million centre would add a therapy pool, expanded gymnasium and program spaces, a fitness centre, a walking track and a youth centre, with an annual operating subsidy of up to $1.6-million.
A sports dome with two small-sided indoor turf fields and a support building would cost about $10.8-million, with an annual operating profit of up to $159,000. A sports dome with two small-sided courts, indoor sport courts, perimeter walking track and a support building would cost about $14-million, with annual operating profits of up to $161,000
By Joe Konecny, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Mar 11, 2026 at 07:17
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