Current Status
Construction Update – March 2021
Construction on the New Westminster Aquatics and Community Centre will be starting April 2021.
The new aquatics and community centre will be built adjacent to Canada Games Pool and Centennial Community Centre where the Sixth Avenue parking lot is currently located.
Starting April 6, 2021, there will be no access to the Sixth Avenue parking lot. Canada Games Pool and Centennial Community Centre will remain open during construction. All programs and services will continue as advertised during the construction period.
Construction & Funding Update – June 20, 2020
Construction on the New Westminster Aquatics and Community Centre will be temporarily suspended as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on municipal operations.
Key deliverables have been completed, including the design documents. As the recovery phase of the pandemic continues to evolve and the financial impacts are more fully understood, New Westminster City Council will re-evaluate the situation and provide further direction on construction timelines this fall.
The City of New Westminster has also been recently informed that its grant application to the Community, Culture and Recreation Federal/Provincial bilateral funding stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) was unsuccessful.
As a result of this funding outcome, and in accordance with Council’s prior decisions regarding the project scope and its contingency upon significant grant funding, the final design has focused on the Community Recreation Facility option. This option includes an eight-lane 50 m pool with two moveable bulkheads, a moveable floor, and spectator seating to maximize flexibility and use of this space. This will include the ability to host local swim competitions.
Facility Naming Process – December 2019
The City of New Westminster is currently in the process of identifying a name for the new aquatic and community centre, including the option of selecting an Indigenous name for the facility.
In 2018/2019, the City undertook an engagement process with urban Indigenous peoples living and/or working in New Westminster to hear feedback on how the new aquatics and community centre can be more welcoming for Indigenous peoples using the facility. The results were compiled into a final report, including a series of recommendations, which can be found here.
This City is in the process of actioning many of these recommendations, including a Call for Indigenous Public Artwork, and engagement on the development of an Indigenous name for the new aquatic and community centre.
As part of a larger commitment to Reconciliation, the City of New Westminster (as directed by City Council) is engaging with representatives from the urban Indigenous community and representatives from local First Nations to participate on a Joint Naming Advisory Panel which will be tasked with providing recommendations to City Council for a potential name(s) for the new facility.
Engagement Opportunities
The City is soliciting input and stories from New Westminster residents on what this space means to you and to our community now and in the future. There are two ways to share your input:
Online Survey
An online survey is available from December 10, 2019 to January 21, 2020.
Open House
An open house will be held on January 14, 2020 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Community Centre.
The information gathered from this process will be used to inform the Joint Naming Advisory Panel in their process of identifying a name to recommend to City Council in early 2020.
It is the City’s hope that identifying an Indigenous name for the NWACC will provide an opportunity to reflect and honour the territory and language of the peoples who have lived in what is now known as New Westminster since time immemorial.
Indigenous, LGBTQ and Muslim consultation feedback
Feedback from the Indigenous, LGBTQ and Muslim communities included:
- Need for culturally relevant spaces and appropriate representation of Indigenous culture.
- Safe and welcoming spaces for Indigenous people, particularly youth.
- Decreasing barriers to access including subsidy programs for youth and low-income families.
- Desire for privacy swims to facilitate participation in aquatic activities in a safe and inclusive environment.
For more information on the feedback received during the engagement process, please see the 2019 Community Engagement Report.
Click here to see the history of community engagement on this project.
