Regina | New Geothermal Indoor Aquatics Facility

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

Funny that PCL is associated with over budget and late in Regina. In Winnipeg it's the opposite, at one point they were building a floor a week on the new Wawanesa insurance tower and just got two major contracts to build a 12 story medical tower and a 17 story residency tower for the guys who own the Jets.

I think that perception is more of a CattyCommittee issue, rather than a widespread belief. I'd don't really think that PCL has a reputation for delivering projects over budget and behind schedule - at least no more than any other major General Contractor.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Regina’s $189M aquatics facility rides the wave of sustainability features

May 10, 2024

CITY OF REGINA — A new $189-million indoor aquatics facility in Regina is slated to feature a deep geothermal energy heating system and aims to achieve net-zero emissions. The complex will include two 50-metre tanks for competitive swimmers and multi-purpose spaces to support aquatics. Outdoor programming will include a playground and spray pad along with other elements.

https://canada.constructconnect.com/...ility-features

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Regina’s $189M aquatics facility rides the wave of sustainability features

May 10, 2024

CITY OF REGINA — A new $189-million indoor aquatics facility in Regina is slated to feature a deep geothermal energy heating system and aims to achieve net-zero emissions. The complex will include two 50-metre tanks for competitive swimmers and multi-purpose spaces to support aquatics. Outdoor programming will include a playground and spray pad along with other elements.

https://canada.constructconnect.com/...ility-features

This wins for worst rendering of all time:

[Draftsman]

Originally Posted by Stormer

This wins for worst rendering of all time:

LOL! Did Mayor Masters draw that herself?

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Updated concept renderings:

[The mayor]

https://www.cjme.com/2024/08/12/new-...-million-more/
Costs for new Regina indoor pool balloon to over $245 million

[bomberjet]

It'd be interesting to draw comparison between and one project in Winnipeg (there's another pool development in south Winnipeg). The East of the Red Rec Plex is similar level as this facility. But with much less lap pool. 1 8 lane 25m in Winnipeg vs 2 10 lane 50m pools in Regina.

Cost in Winnipeg is $90 million vs $245 million! Maybe I'm missing something, or the estimators in Winnipeg are, but seems to be a large discrepancy in the prices here.

https://engage.winnipeg.ca/east-of-the-red

[The mayor]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

It'd be interesting to draw comparison between and one project in Winnipeg (there's another pool development in south Winnipeg). The East of the Red Rec Plex is similar level as this facility. But with much less lap pool. 1 8 lane 25m in Winnipeg vs 2 10 lane 50m pools in Regina.

Cost in Winnipeg is $90 million vs $245 million! Maybe I'm missing something, or the estimators in Winnipeg are, but seems to be a large discrepancy in the prices here.

https://engage.winnipeg.ca/east-of-the-red

Project similar in size

[Stormer]

$245 million is just ridiculous. Time to shelve this.

[Kegger]

I think it is time to look at building some outdoor pools in the newer areas of the city to make it more walkable and accessible to the neighbourhoods. Possibly an indoor pool in the South West area of the city to balance the ones in the north and south-east. It seems we stopped building local accessible recreation facilities in the 80s.

This is ballooning in cost and requires most of the people in the city to have a significant trip by car to use it.

There is a need for competitive swimming, diving etc. I am not sure of the solution there.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

For reference there are 3 price options on the table and comparisons:

[The mayor]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...cost-1.7292640
Masters made it a central part of her successful campaign for mayor in 2020.

The delay in a decision left some councillors unhappy about potentially leaving it to the next council.

"I just think we have to be careful in Regina not to always settle for second best. When we reach for the stars, we do really well. When we dither, we just put our community behind," said Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins.

Construction on the facility is meant to get underway next year on the land that used to house Taylor Field.

Staff told council that their best estimate is that every week of delay in construction could increase the cost of the project by $1 million.
Every week of delay cost $1 million how stupid and dumb can these people be like the stupidest of Stupid stupid Another 10 million added to the cost
Where do these people come from? Construction on this should’ve started four years ago. would’ve saved $120 million. I don’t blame it on inflation. I blame it on being dumb, dumb dumb.

[BrannyMuffin]

I’m not sure why CBC keeps saying this will be built on the old Taylor Field site. It will be connected to the Fieldhouse, right behind the Lawson, no? Unless I’m missing something, that’s what we’re seeing in these renderings and what we’ve always been told was the plan. In the end, it’s not a big deal, but people get up in arms over the location because they’re under the impression that the Taylor Field site was supposed to be affordable housing (which is only half true in itself).

[PrairiePrince]

I have always been supportive of this project, but $245M is absolutely wild for an aquatics centre. For example, the new Great Plains Power Station will be less than 3x this to build ($780M) and will produce enough power to service nearly a third of the province. Also, an aquatics centre will be used by many, but not the majority, and the economic spinoff that comes from hosting the occasional national swim meet is not overly significant.

What seems to be getting lost here with all this information coming out, is that the federal ICIP funding no longer requires the Lawson to be decommissioned. This provides a major potential cost saving for this project. As Lori Bresciani mentioned, the Lawson could be converted into the rec pool. Or vice versa, it could be the training side and a rec area could be built. This would surely bring costs down significantly and is not a red herring as Bob Hawkins suggests.

Lastly, I think there needs to be more questions being asked about the massive increase of these costs. This project was projected at $85M in 2020, $160.7M in 2022 when the Catalyst Committee further delayed it getting off the ground by a year, and is now at $245M. I understand that construction costs have risen, but rising nearly 300x in 4 years does not add up. As a previous comment pointed out, Winnipeg is building a slightly smaller facility for $90M. Who is quoting the City these estimates and why are they not engaging with other contractors?

https://leaderpost.com/news/local-ne...-grows-to-245m

[youngregina]

I don't know, the project costs appear to be in line with many of the new facilities that are proposed or were constructed in Calgary and Edmonton over the last decade. Take a look at the following project pages and tell me that the additional amounts can't be assumed for inflation.

EDMONTON

Lewis Farms ($310M) https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_pla...ation-facility

Coronation Park ($153M) https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_pla...rk-development

CALGARY

Rocky Ridge ($193M) https://www.calgary.ca/planning/park...-facility.html

Seton ($193M) https://www.calgary.ca/planning/park...-facility.html

The Calgary facilities opened pre-Covid, and were budgeted, designed, and constructed in the 5 year period leading up to 2019. We are 10 years later and construction costs have ballooned for civic infrastructure projects (not unique to Regina). I agree that now is the best time to get these projects done and dusted - because you wait another 5 years hoping to get more bang for your buck.. well, you'll end up with a whole lot less.

Further, Calgary and Edmonton are playing catchup with respect to these types of facilities. The ones listed above are just a sampling of the amount of similar facilities that already exist. Calgary for example has the following recreational facilities that compare to a full buildout of the Lawson:

1. Remington
2. Seton
3. Rocky Ridge
4. Southland
5. MNP
6. Westside
7. Glenmore
8. Trico
9. Vivo
10. Genesis Centre
11. Village Square

That's 11 massive facilities for 1.5 million people. Or 1 for every 136,000 residents. Regina should have two of these facilities by now - as Masters has stated there will be a need for a second one in the next 5-10 years. Calgary also has numerous other outdoor and indoor facilities that are closer in size to the Northwest Leisure or Sandra Schmirler. To think Regina doesn't have the population base, or can't afford it is such a Regina attitude.

*ALSO the South Winnipeg Rec Centre (SWRC) being quoted as only $90M is actually up 32% from its original quoted budget in 2019. The facilities included in the SWRC are extremely limited in comparison to what is planned for Regina. Further, aquatic facilities and attractions just cost more than gymnasiums, fitness areas and multi-purpose rooms - as is proposed for the SWRC.