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STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATES
Rick Pews, Director of Corporate Facilities provided updates concerning the Performing Arts Centre, Lakehead University, Cadets/Southshore, Library and Recreation Centres, as follows:
The schematic design work continues on the Performing Arts Centre as well as the Sea Cadet’s Hayter Centre expansion project. In addition, updated site fit and testing, block planning and preliminary costing work has been completed to meet anticipated recreational centre capacity needs for the Hewitt and Salem secondary plan areas. Staff reports related to the Performing Arts Centre and recreation centres will be brought forward at the June 11th, 2025 General Committee meeting. Staff were scheduled to bring a report related to the Sea Cadets project to General Committee on the same night, but additional work is required to help ensure budget certainty for that project. Staff expect to have this completed in advance of the scheduled August General Committee and Council meeting and plan to bring it forward at that time.
Design development work on Lakehead University’s downtown campus is proceeding quickly. With continued input from Lakehead’s academic team, our consultants and contractors are finalizing space layouts to meet the university’s specific needs. Staff are developing detailed design plans in phases and are targeting to have the first set of building permit plans completed and ready for submission by mid-June. Subsequent packages will follow throughout the summer months. The team is following these parallel workflows to ensure that the longest lead portions of the project can be started first.
Funding and operating agreement discussions with Lakehead’s Executive are expected to continue into the summer months.
Questions asked by members of Committee and Council in attendance:
1. Deputy Mayor, R. Thomson asked about the library having 2 potential sites, one being city owned and the other being owned by a third party and do either of these burden staff with timing.
Jeff Schmidt, General Manager of Community and Corporate Services advised that with respect to location staff have proceeded as directed by Council and have reviewed some locations in the north end, narrowing it down to two possible properties. Mr. Schmidt advised that additional staff resources would be needed to proceed with the city owned site.
2. Deputy Mayor, R. Thomson asked would the privately owned property have a less significant risk than publicly owned property?
Jeff Schmidt, General Manager of Community and Corporate Services advised that City owned property would pose some challenges from a timing and resource perspective and therefore it may be better to look at privately owned property.