Westside Recreation Centre plans $180 million expansion at Signal Hill
The expansion would nearly double the facility's size, adding aquatic space, a fieldhouse, and addressing a 1,000-person swim lesson waitlist.
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Westside Recreation Centre has unveiled a $180 million expansion plan that would nearly double the size of its Signal Hill complex, adding approximately 180,000 square feet of aquatic, sport and community space.
The expansion would include an expanded wave pool, a tot pool, four new waterslides, and an indoor spray park. A new fieldhouse would dedicate two-thirds of its space to turf fields, with the remainder for pickleball, basketball, badminton and other court sports. The project aims to address an estimated 1,000-person swim lesson waitlist in the area.
CEO Jan Bloemraad said the timing aligns with Calgary's GamePlan recreation strategy, which the city approved earlier this year. "It's a game changer not only for Westside but our quadrant of the city and beyond," he said, citing the facility's proximity to a CTrain station and Stoney Trail.
The project would require the city to lead funding, which would then open the door for provincial and federal contributions, along with private sponsorship. Currently, the expansion is identified in the city's "first wave" of its making waves project strategy within GamePlan, but it remains unfunded and would need to be considered as part of Calgary's upcoming four-year budget discussion.
Ward 6 Councillor John Pantazopoulos said the project represents the type of development Calgary needs. "We have fallen behind," he said. "When you add the city of Red Deer to the population of Calgary but you don't add the soccer pitches, the swimming lanes, the field houses, there is a breakdown in the quality of life in the city."
Westside has operated without city subsidy since opening in 2000 and expanded in 2010.
How much of the $180 million will the city commit, and when will that decision be made as part of the budget process?
What is the projected timeline for completing the expansion once funding is approved?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How much would the Westside Recreation Centre expansion cost?
The expansion at Westside Recreation Centre would cost $180 million.
What aquatic features would the expansion add?
Westside Recreation Centre would add an expanded wave pool, a tot pool, four new waterslides, and an indoor spray park.
How many people are on the swim lesson waitlist?
Approximately 1,000 people are on the swim lesson waitlist at Westside Recreation Centre.
