Council rejects motion to reduce cost, downsize Lewis Farms Recreation Centre

Edmonton city councillors rejected a proposal – in an 8-5 vote – to save money and scale back on the Lewis Farms Recreation Centre in west Edmonton.

Had the amendment passed, it would have lowered the cost of the Lewis Farms Rec Centre project from $311 million to $185 million.

Those supporting the motion say those funds could have been used elsewhere, like maintaining existing leisure centres.

“Edmontonians are going to see that because we chose to invest in this mega project, we’re going to see many challenges happening elsewhere,” said Coun. Michael Janz. “So it’s about trade-offs. How can we invest in what we already have and keep it open longer?”

The mega rec centre would offer a larger, deeper pool to accommodate a variety of sports. There’s only one other pool in the city – at Kinsmen – big enough to meet those standards.

Digital rendering of proposed aquatic facility at Lewis Farms Recreation Centre. (Credit: City of Edmonton/handout)

But while Lewis Farms cleared one big cut, there could be another one to come. Still to come in budget debates is a proposal to shrink the size of the pool to cover inflation costs that have made the project more expensive than expected.

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“Every dollar we put into Lewis Rec is a dollar we can’t put into fixing our roads, fixing our bridges, fixing our other amenities,” said Janz of Ward papastew. “There is one tax dollar, and our debt room is almost nil.”

But Mayor Amarjeet Sohi says cutting a project that already has shovels in the ground isn’t a fair way to approach this budget.

“This is what Edmontonians expect council to invest in,” said Sohi. “So I’m that glad council made a decision not to basically stall or reduce the scope to a level where there would no longer be a Lewis Farms. People everywhere in the city deserve equitable access to reacreational facilities.”

A councillor opposed to the motion says the Lewis Farms Recreation Centre would be the last large-scale centre to be built.

“Going forward it has to be smaller and more localized, and I’m fully on board with that,” said Ward Nakota Isga Coun. Andrew Knack. “And I don’t think there’s any member of council who doesn’t support that.

“It was just about completing the one as originally planned considering the years going into it.”

WATCH: Proposal for smaller west-end pool draws concerns from Edmonton’s aquatics community

While Lewis Farms Rec Centre was discussed Monday, the decision made by council Friday to fund $100 million for bike lanes is still hanging over councillors.

“One of the arguments we hear from people is that Edmontonians don’t use bike lanes, they don’t bike, we are a winter city,” said Sohi. “But Edmontonians do bike and Edmontonians will bike more if we have appropriate infrastructure that is safe and reliable. We want to build a city that is for everyone.”

Edmonton council is continuing budget deliberations until Dec. 16.