New Aquatic Centre Current Situation and Next Steps

Clark Builders, the Aquatic Centre design-build team, hosted Aquatic Centre Accessibility consultations on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. The sessions were open to all Yellowknifers, and will assist Clark Builders in designing a facility that is accessible and meets the needs of the community.  

• Session 1: Tuesday, March 29, 2022, City Hall Council Chamber, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
• Session 2: Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Multiplex Meeting Room, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Level Playing Field Inc. (LPF), an accessibility consulting firm and industry leader headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, facilitated the consultations on behalf of Clark Builders. LFP was established in 2015 by Darby Lee Young, a Top 25 Women of Influence (2021), Top 40 Under 40 (2021 & 2018) honouree, recipient of the 2016 Calgary Stampede Western Legacy Innovation Award, and para-alpine skier. LFP has completed over 150 projects across Canada and in different industries, specializing in evaluating, developing, and implementing Universal Design and best-practice principles for all urban environments through industry expertise and first-hand lived experiences.

Each session began with a Design Team and a universal design understanding introduction. The relationship between the Accessibility Code and the Building Code were explored before accessibility considerations are discussed in more detail. Items for discussion included but are not limited to entrances, washrooms, colour contrast, wayfinding/audible and visual cues, and site-specific considerations.

Following the sessions, Clark Builders and their consultants will continue the design for the Aquatic Centre, taking into consideration the feedback from the community. Yellowknife residents will be consulted again in June 2022 on the accessibility elements, when the design is expected to be 60% complete. This will help to ensure that the facility is meeting the needs of the community.  

For more information, email AquaticCentre@yellowknife.ca. 

By-law No. 5044, a By-law to authorize the City of Yellowknife to borrow up to $10,001,000 for the development of an Aquatic Centre, received Third Reading at the Monday, December 13, 2021 Council Meeting. Following Third Reading, Minister Shane Thompson, Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, approved By-law No. 5044.

The City has awarded the contract for the design-build proposal of Clark Builders and construction is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

A referendum to determine if the City can borrow up to $10,001,000 to finance the development of the Aquatic Centre took place on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, by mail-in ballot and voters supported the borrowing of funds.

For all voting information, visit www.yellowknife.ca/Referendum. 

Cost and Design of the proposed Aquatic Centre

As part of the process of planning for the proposed Aquatic Centre, the City consulted with user groups and residents to find out what the public wanted to see in a new Aquatic Centre. Based on those consultations, the City commissioned an Aquatic Centre Design Plan, developed by Taylor Architects, and Aquatic Consultants MJMA. The Design Plan details the facilities to be incorporated in the proposed Aquatic Centre.

A Request for Qualifications was issued by the City in June 2021. Based on responses to these expressions of interest, three companies were identified as having the interest, resources, and qualifications to successfully complete the project. In July , 2021, the City issued a request for proposals for a design-build of the proposed Aquatic Centre. These companies are Bird Construction Group, Clark Builders, and PCL Construction Management Inc. All pre-qualified companies are located in either Yellowknife, NT or Edmonton, AB. In September 2021, the City selected the design-build proposal of Clark Builders. Their proposal is costed at $67,735,329 excluding GST. 

The City is undertaking a Design-Build construction methodology for the development of the Aquatic Centre. What this means is that one entity — the design-build team — works under a single contract with the City to design and build the Aquatic Centre. Accountability resides with the single contractor to meet timelines and budgets, is more efficient, and costs are less likely to escalate. The budget is identified and finalized during the design phase, therefore the City — and residents — are aware and approve of the cost before construction begins.

Development of the proposed Aquatic Centre will be paid for with a combination of federal and municipal sources:

Given funding available from federal and territorial sources, the City will need to borrow only a small proportion of the funds needed to build the proposed Aquatic Centre. The City must borrow $10,001,000 to fund its contribution.

Residents of Yellowknife will be asked to vote, in a referendum in November 2021, on whether to approve borrowing by the City. A majority of voters must vote to support the referendum to enable the City to borrow the required funds.

Annual municipal taxes are expected to increase by an estimated 1.27% to cover the annual operation and maintenance costs of the proposed Aquatic Centre, once the facility is open.

Proposed Timeline

If a majority of eligible voters vote in favour of the City borrowing to fund a portion of the construction cost, the City will enter into an agreement with Clark Builders, and work on the proposed Aquatic Centre will begin in 2022.

If a majority of eligible voters vote against the City borrowing to fund a portion of the construction cost, work on the proposed Aquatic Centre will not move forward and the City will need to explore ways to extend the life of the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool and make the facility accessible in line with new legislation.

Assuming that results of the referendum support the development of an Aquatic Centre, this proposed timeline will see the completion of the facility in the mid to latter part of 2024.