On time and slightly under budget Morinville recreation facility gets an official name

by Colin Smith

Morinville’s new recreation facility now has an official name: the Morinville Leisure Centre.

The name was approved by Town Council at its February 26 meeting, during which council members were given an administration update indicating the project is on time and on budget.

The project is estimated at 83% complete, with facility opening scheduled for May.

According to the administration report, spending on the project to date totals $21,800,708, 71 per cent of the approved $30.5-million budget. The combined project forecast is on budget, with a current projection of one per cent under budget overall or $30,225,396.

Interior work recently completed includes the installation of all fixed seating, completion of the locker rooms, installation of the field house dasher boards and completion of the ice plant.

Soon to be completed installation of the ice and field house flooring, while millwork, finishing of drywall, electrical, data cabling and sound system is ongoing. In late April, fitness equipment, office/building furniture and play space furnishing should be completed.

Remaining site servicing work, including grading, a storm pond and landscaping is expected to be continued from May through September.

“Hearing that a $30-million project is on time and on budget is a good thing because there aren’t too many of those around right now,” commented Councillor Scott Richardson at the meeting.

Following the facility opening, targeted for May, there will be a grand opening event tentatively scheduled for September 7, which include free access, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and formal program.

The new name of the facility, Morinville Leisure Centre, was different than the name recommended to Council by the administration. Administration recommended the Morinville Recreation Centre based on a review taking into account the names of other municipal recreation centres, non-duplication of names, naming conventions, and ensuring that Morinville’s name is prominent.

Through the review, the Administration recommended Morinville Recreation Centre as the best choice because it incorporates the town’s name and the facility’s primary use and is within the suggested “three word” naming convention to provide for short acronyms, easy recognition and branding.

Other potential names for considered were Morinville Community Recreation Facility, Morinville Recreation Facility, Morinville Recreation Complex, Morinville Community Leisure Centre, Morinville Leisure Centre, Morinville Athlétique, Morinville Multi-plex and Morinville Place.

Councillor Nicole Boutestein made a motion to select Morinville Leisure Centre as the name. He rmotion passed 4-3.

At the same meeting, Council also approved proposed a facility rates structure specifically for the field house and party packages.

For the arena and mezzanine existing facility rental rates will be the same as those currently being used at the Ray McDonald Sports Center and the Morinville Community Cultural Centre.

Daily pass and membership rates for the Morinville Leisure Centre were approved by Council in December.

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18 Comments

    • Alexander Rapati are we seriously still this uneducated to know that plain and simple, the town can’t borrow enough money to build a pool and an arena. They’re not allowed to borrow in excess of a certain $. Plain and simple. Educate yourself and stop beating the dead horse! ?

  1. The pool will come in time. A pool is a lot of money and a huge amount of up keep not to mention the extra staff you have to pay to manage it. I know i am excited for the center as it will be a great place to go in the cold months to get my family moving

  2. This is a good thing. Regarding a pool: The costs are prohibitive for a town this size. Odd how many people say they want a pool but I don’t see many in town in backyards.

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