Riverside South residents to get first look at plan for massive recreation complex

Coun. Steve Desroches is giving residents a glimpse of a new recreation complex for Riverside South. CTV’s Camille Wilson says residents are looking forward to

The city councillor for Riverside South has shared some of the first images of a proposed recreation complex in the area.

The more than 15,000 square metre complex would be built on Earl Armstrong Road, in between the Limebank and Bowesville O-Train stations.

It will be developed in phases, with the first phase including amenities such as a six-lane, 25-metre swimming pool, two NHL-sized ice rinks, an indoor walking track, and a fitness studio.

The outdoor parts of the complex would have a combination football and soccer field, pickleball and tennis courts, a basketball court, a splash pad, and beach volleyball courts. The plans also include 500 parking spaces, bicycle parking, concessions, and meeting rooms.

Future phases would include baseball diamonds, a cricket pitch, and more soccer fields.

Riverside South-Findlay Creek Coun. Steve Desroches says getting the facility built was a key reason he returned to city council.

“This project is personal for me. As a resident of the ward and a parent, I have seen first-hand the impact that the absence of a local, full-service recreation complex has had on our community,” Desroches said on his website. “The lack of any progress on this facility for more than eight years was one of the key reasons I chose to return to City Hall in 2022. I am committed to changing that, and I am encouraged that this experience is now translating into real progress.”

Desroches says the facility is still several years away. He estimates the design phase will take approximately two years, and it will be another two years for construction.

Descroches says the project is estimated to carry an approximately $175 million price tag.

“This is a big project. We are in the early phases of the design right now. Notionally, it’s approximately $175 million, but we are continuing to refine the design of this and we’ll know closer to construction what with the cost will be,’ Desroches told CTV News Ottawa.

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Residents in Riverside South will get a chance to see preliminary design ideas and give feedback at a community meeting on Monday. It will be held in the gymnasium at St. Jerome School, 4330 Spratt Rd., from 7 to 9 p.m.

Riverside South resident Rubianne Patenaude says they welcome the project and plan on attending the upcoming community meeting.

“I think it’s fantastic. You’re going to have pickleball. You’re going to have the walking track, which is totally awesome,” Patenaude said.

For Patenaude, the indoor walking track is particularly exciting.

“I’ve had three knee replacements, and I don’t really like the cold. When I walk outside, my actual titanium freezes. I used to be in track and field so that’s going to bring back such wonderful memories for me,” Patenaude said.

“I’m just going to love it. I just I can’t wait. You have no idea how excited I am for this.”

Cathy Borjia, a Riverside South resident, says the area is in need of more development.

“We have to have more development, for commercial, stores, amenities. There’s nothing close to us that we can go to enjoy ourselves,” Borjia said.

“We’re hoping that there’s going to be swimming lessons and all kinds of activities for the kids that live in this area that we’d like to have it here.”

“The City has assembled a dedicated and experienced project team to lead this work. The City has also issued a request for proposals to hire the architectural team that will design the facility,” Desroches said. “I have asked staff to take a practical design approach and to rely on best practices from successful facilities such as the Minto Recreation Complex.”

A public survey received more than 400 responses earlier this year. The City of Ottawa says it plans to release a “What we Learned” report on Engage Ottawa, summarizing all feedback received through the public survey and public information session.

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With files from CTV’s Camille Wilson.