The city will invest $180,000 into structural repairs at the Rec Complex in the coming months, the first of several repairs that will extend the sporting facility’s lifespan by about 30 years.
Dan McDermid, the city’s Director of Operations, said the city will spend about $1 million over the next 10 years on structural work at the facility.
“The city is investing in its assets by doing much needed structural repairs to the Rec Complex,” McDermid said.
“The 10-year investment buys us 30 years, if we do nothing, we’ll have to build a new facility in five to ten years at a cost of $30 million.”
CAO Duane Nicol said the investment into the Rec Complex falls in line with the Capital Asset Management Program that, among other things, identifies city buildings, the condition they are in and what maintenance is required to maximize the value of that building. The repairs are also part of the city’s Recreation Strategy.
Rec Complex has, and will continue to serve Selkirk well
The Rec Complex was a state-of-the art facility when it was built and has served the city well. A structural review, done by Stantec Engineering, confirmed there was still plenty of value in the Rec Complex, and by investing in key repairs the city could extend the life of the building.
“This is our premiere recreation facility but it was built 25 years ago,” Nicol said.
“We’re currently developing our Recreation Strategy and in that we’re identifying all our facilities and their lifecycle. We’ve got older facilities and part of our strategy is determining how to maintain them properly. The Stantec review of the Rec Complex showed there is enough life in the building for us to continue to invest in it. It’s the same philosophy as our Capital Asset Management Program, we’re making strategic investments in assets to extend their useful life and reduce the net cost to the city overall.”
The city has made several improvements to the Rec Complex in recent years, including geothermal upgrades to the ice plant. The ice surface lights are scheduled for replacement as well.
Repairs to the Rec Complex are a City of Selkirk Strategic Plan priority in several ways, including providing the best possible recreation opportunities for Selkirk residents, taking more active management of capital assets and taking firmer control of our economic destiny.
Work underway
McDermid said some of the work is already underway, with city staff replacing handrails and repairing doorways. The outdoor stairs leading to the lobby will be replaced. Other work includes masonry work, resetting loose blocks, repairing panels and other mechanical work.
Longer-term projects include replacing mechanical room pipe supports, replacing the metal roof, repairing grade beams, overhead door flashing, retaining walls and stairway and sidewalk repairs.
City staff will handle some of the work while other projects will be contracted out.
McDermid said the first phase should be completed by the end of the year.
