$91 million new Marpole Community Centre to be built by 2026

2022 concept for the new Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre in Vancouver's Oak Park. (Diamond Schmitt Architects/City of Vancouver)

There is new movement on the long-envisioned project to build a new replacement and expanded Marpole Community Centre in South Vancouver.

Next week, Vancouver City Council is expected to approve the City of Vancouver staff’s recommendation to select Heatherbrae Builders as the main contractor to build the new facility. This follows a procurement bidding process that began last year.

The contract value to Heatherbrae is worth about $80 million, including GST, for work done over the next 2.5 years.

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The new facility will be built at the northeast corner of the intersection of Oak Street and Park Drive at the south end of Oak Park. The existing 1949-built facility at the north end of the park — now the oldest community centre in the Vancouver Park Board network of facilities — will eventually be demolished.

In addition to the contract approval, City staff are seeking approval for an overall $3.3 million budget increase to the project’s previously stated capital plan budget of $88 million due to “higher tender prices largely driven by cost escalations.” This increases the total project budget to $91.3 million, including the contract value and previous City and Park Board-led design and planning work.

marpole-oakridge community centre vancouver 2022 design

2022 concept for the new Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre in Vancouver’s Oak Park. (Diamond Schmitt Architects/City of Vancouver)

The contract calls for the construction of a new main community centre building with a gymnasium, various multi-purpose and activity rooms for sports, arts, and events, a community kitchen, and a childcare facility for up to 60 kids on the second level with an outdoor play area on the rooftop.

There would also be park support spaces such as public washrooms and team rooms with direct access to the exterior, along with one underground parking level.

2022 concept for the new Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre in Vancouver’s Oak Park. (Diamond Schmitt Architects/City of Vancouver)

However, noticeably absent from the construction contract is the new community centre’s 10,500 sq ft outdoor aquatic centre, including a 4,550 sq ft, five-lane lap swimming pool, a 2,120 sq ft leisure pool, and a 600 sq ft hot whirlpool.

In a statement upon inquiry to Daily Hive Urbanized, the City confirmed the pool is not included in the current construction contract, and will instead be considered as part of a future phase.

The construction budget of the entire facility — both the community centre building and outdoor aquatic centre — was previously estimated at up to $70 million, but this figure is based on a 2021 estimate before the onset of high inflation in the market prices for construction materials, equipment, and labour.

If the outdoor aquatic centre is eventually built, the overall facility floor area will grow to 183,000 sq ft, based on the design by Diamond Schmitt Architects.

2022 concept for the new Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre in Vancouver’s Oak Park. (Diamond Schmitt Architects/City of Vancouver)

As previously planned, the building will be constructed using mass timber materials and achieve Passive House and LEED Gold green design certifications, and the Rick Hansen Gold accessibility certification. As well, the facility will be designed to capture and clean up to 48 mm of rainfall during a 48-hour period.

City staff state Heatherbrae is expected to complete the new community centre towards the end of 2026. The company is also currently approaching the final stages of its major project to build the City of New Westminster’s new replacement and expanded aquatic and recreational centre, which is expected to open in Spring 2024.

Also in 2024, the new Oakridge community centre, including a new replacement and expanded space for Vancouver Public Library’s Oakridge branch, is expected to open. The new City-owned facility is being constructed and funded as a public benefit of the Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) redevelopment.

Due to rising costs, Metro Vancouver’s municipal governments are increasingly under pressure to delay or scale back their planned new community and recreational centre projects, which are amongst the most expensive items under their years-long capital plans.

In August 2023, the City of Burnaby fired its architectural design contractor for the new Burnaby Lake Aquatic Centre and expanded recreational centre due to major cost overruns. Instead of beginning major construction activities this year, the Burnaby Lake facility is now going back to the drawing board, with a new team contracted to redesign the project.

marpole community centre existing vancouver

The existing Marpole Community Centre at the north end of Oak Park. (Google Maps)

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