Burke Mountain rec centre to be paid for with development dollars, some debt financing

For some Coquitlam councillors, 2029 can’t get here soon enough.

On Monday afternoon, Coquitlam council got a more detailed look at the plans for the 80,000 square foot Burke Mountain rec centre, which is tentatively set to open its doors in 2029.

With the bucolic neighbourhood set to eventually reach a population of 50,000, the centre is: “greatly needed on the mountain,” said Coun. Brent Asmundson.

“It has been a long time. A bit longer than some of us had hoped for,” he said.

Asmundson praised the decision to include a library in the centre, which should make the building more convenient for resident and more cost-efficient for the city.

“It’s going to be expensive,” acknowledged Coun. Robert Mazzarolo.

However, the centre should be: “a catalyst to getting the housing that we all know is needed,” he added.

The centre and the nearby park will be mainly funded through development cash, with some debt financing set to be repaid through future development projects, according to a city staff report.

The exact cost is difficult to project as the: “scale, duration, and specific goods affected continue to shift significantly,” the report stated.

Staff are keeping tabs on market conditions and the impacts of tariffs and will report any major changes to council.

The city has appealed to senior levels of government for grants but have yet to hear back.

Coun. Craig Hodge emphasized the importance of injecting some fun into the design. To that end, the pool is set to include a climbing wall and a drop slide, which would be a first for Coquitlam.