Taylor wants redevelopment of Ron Kolbus centre, Facility needs to be strengthened, councillor says
Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Kristy Wallace
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EMC news -Bay Coun. Mark Taylor has a vision for the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre that includes a pool, gym facility and indoor meeting space.
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Bay Ward Coun. Mark Taylor wants to improve the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre in Britannia.
"This would be a multiyear project," said Taylor. "We're looking to work with the community to put together a grand design."
While he said budget constraints are tight, he wants to see just over $1 million that would have been allocated to the Belltown Dome arena spent on improving the Britannia-area recreation centre.
Taylor said since the arena was built on a flood plain, the contractor found too many issues building on it.
The money would have funded an addition to the lobby space, change rooms and a community space. The previous term of council had approved $365,000 for these upgrades, in addition to $825,000 that was approved in 2006 to help upgrade the dome and its amenities.
"I'd like to move the money from the Belltown Dome to Lakeside to strengthen that facility for local residents," Taylor said. "We've had this idea for a while."
He said he's received some feedback from residents they were supportive of the idea, but community groups in the last few months like the Carlingwood Community Association have been vocal about lack of recreation space in their immediate area.
"I think the reality is a lot of neighbourhoods like Carlingwood would like to have something in their neighbourhood, but we don't have the space," Taylor said, adding that Bay Ward should take advantage of the large space surrounding the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, although it might not solve the issue of residents who want something smaller built closer to their communities.
"If you look at all the land, the beach, tennis court and sports fields -and the building itself -it's a pretty big space," Taylor said. "We can do something that responds to the greater need of the entire community."
For more information on issues happening in Bay Ward, visit www.baywardlive.ca.
kristy.wallace@metroland.com
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