A new aquatic centre was the focus of the second public information session for the City of Regina’s Catalyst Committee.

The centre will replace the current Lawson Aquatic Centre, which is getting near its end of life.

Among the reasons for a replacement, the Catalyst Committee said that the City’s indoor aquatics facilities are, do not meet modern user expectations or event hosting requirements and are less accessible and less efficient than they should be.

The presentation also listed numerous deficiencies within the Lawson Centre, which could cause the centre to close.

Craig Nieuwstad, Head Coach of the Regina Dolphins and Cougars Swim Team, has first-hand experience of the problems with the Lawson Aquatic Centre as they experienced power outages multiple times.

“I think it’s overdue and needed. It’s served the City well, but right now, it just can’t handle what the City needs,” he said. “The Lawson is like you are on a treadmill right now that keeps speeding up, and eventually, we aren’t going to be able to keep up.”

As for the future facility, the $170 million project will feature many amenities, including:

• 2x 50m competition pools with supporting spaces
• Spectator seating on 2nd level
• Leisure Aquatics /Waterpark area that could include amenities like an: wave pool, lazy river, waterslides, play/splash structures, hot tubs, teach pool, deck viewing areas
• Multi-use spaces including therapy, fitness centre, fitness studios, community spaces, indoor children’s playground, social gathering areas, gymnasium
• Cultural, Multi-purpose, Cafe & Lease spaces

“That would be a really good start to look at,” Nieuwstad said. “That does solve a lot of the issues. If we can find a facility that can host a competition as well as allow all the other programs to run alongside it, I think that would be huge for the City.”

Most attendees spoke favourably about the presentation and the new aquatic centre. However, there were questions about where the new centre would go and what would happen to the Lawson Aquatic Centre.

Co-Chair of the Catalyst Committee, Councillor Bob Hawkins, said he felt the meeting went very well and was excited to see the community’s engagement with the project.

“I thought that they made very aspects of pools that normally I might not think of,” he said. “What is your program for lifeguards, there were many questions raised about the cost of a pool, and we were able to rehearse that with them.”

Two locations have been suggested for the location of the new aquatic one. ‘The Yards’ or at the current location of the Lawson.

Hawkins noted that keeping the facility open isn’t financially viable and would have to be closed.

This isn’t the first time a new aquatic centre has been looked at for Regina residents. However, Hawkins is confident that the City will make the centre a reality this time.

“I’ve been a ten years councillor, and this has been continuously on the agenda since then, and there is a number of reasons to think that this a great moment,” he said. “Council has been interested in the project for a number of years, and we have a detailed plan. We are ready to go, except for a few little things. There is every indication through federal government grants that we could put a very attractive application.”