Big plans have been unveiled for a multi-purpose recreation centre at Exhibition Park with a full sized indoor field that can be used for such sports as soccer and football along with a three lane walking track. The price tag is a cool 20 million dollars but the President of the Exhibition Association Paul Gilbride says it's needed and he hopes the city, province and federal government will see it the same way and chip in some funding.
The facility would not be subsidised by the taxpayer according to planning consultant Wendy Donovan. She tells CHSJ News the feasibility study has determined it would cost from 225 to 250 dollars an hour just to break even.
Common Councillor Joe Mott was on hand and was suitably impressed by what he heard and saw saying the project would add much needed recreation facilities to the east side. There would also be landscaping and greenspace to make the site more attractive to the eye.
Donovan believes there would be alot of usage from late fall to May after school, in the evening and at weekends. The field can also be divided up into portions depending on what it's being used for and the hourly rate would be less.
