New community centre coming to north Red Deer

North Red Deer is getting a new community centre.

The City’s Municipal Planning Commission gave its approval for the $10 million project on Wednesday.

The development will be located at Taylor Drive and 77 Street next to the Glendale Sciences and Technology School and consist of a single two-storey building with nearly 25,000 square feet of space.

The facility will also be integrated with the existing skate park and parking areas.

“It’s really about meeting some of the social, recreation and culture needs of our community in the north,” said Deb Comfort, Neighbourhood Facilities and Community Development Supervisor with the City of Red Deer. “Not just the north, but the whole city will see a benefit from this great facility.”

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Construction will take place in two phases, the first of which will see the completion of the actual building and a 65-stall parking area next to 77 Street. A new access will also be constructed for that parking lot along 77 Street. Phase two will include an additional 20-space parking area on the south side and walkway reconfigurations.

The centre is designed to be welcoming and accessible and will include areas for event hosting, drop-in sports, play spaces, multi-purpose rooms, and a fitness room. A teaching kitchen area is also planned for the facility.

“We’re trying to make it a very flexible, nimble space that can be adapted to whatever it is the community might want,” Comfort added.

Comfort says there are plans to integrate with Glendale Sciences and Technology School once the new community centre is up and running.

“We definitely see it as an opportunity to engage the [school] and our other school partners on the site to have access to the space or extend some of their program offerings through being able to use this facility.”

Comfort says the new community centre represents the start of a new era for the city.

“They [2008 Needs Assessment] identified that having a larger, more regional centre would be more sustainable and certainly be able to meet and address a multitude of needs and interests versus the smaller ones we have in our neighbourhoods.”

Construction is slated to begin as early as mid-August and take about 18 months to complete. The adjacent skate park is to remain open while work takes place.