Âé¶čAV city council has signed off on a series of budget updates to the 2025 Financial Plan, including an unexpected design opportunity that would add a third floor to the new Parkinson Recreation Centre (PRC).
At councilâs June 23 meeting, staff explained that by maintaining the wave-like roofline planned for a section of the building, it was realized that attic space, that would otherwise go unused, could be utilized. The result is an extra 11,000 square feet of space on a new third floor.
âRarely do you see that occur during design where you have the nice roof line be able to help all the way through, and then actually have that attic space potentially be utilized,â said Derek Edstrom, the cityâs director of partnerships and investments.
The $5.5 million addition wonât dramatically increase the projectâs construction costs but will give the facility more flexibility for future programming and community use.
Staff recommended the funding come from money originally earmarked for city hall exterior renovations planned for 2027.
Thereâs no impact to taxation this year, and the design change will be reflected in the cityâs 10-Year Capital Plan, which gets updated this fall.
The PRC wasnât the only big-ticket project on the table. Council also approved adjustments to speed up work on several other major infrastructure initiatives, including the Rutland Transit Exchange, the Kane/Valley roundabout, and critical water utility upgrades.
Some projectsâsuch as the Okanagan College and Mission transit hubsâare being delayed or scaled back.
Council also heard that investment in infrastructure has nearly doubled over the past five years, reaching $425 million annually.
So far in 2025, more than 20 major projects have been acquired, with over $200 million already committed or spent by June.
Highlighted projects currently underway or in development include planning for a new performing arts centre, the Hwy 97 Gateway study, detailed design for the PRC and Glenmore Protective Services Campus, and ongoing construction on the KLO Bridge, Burne Park, and airport expansions.
Recently completed work includes the opening of DeHart Park, two new baseball diamonds at Mission Recreation Park, and the long-awaited Bertram Street overpass.
