Motion to reduce cost, scope of Lewis Farms Recreation Centre defeated

A motion to scale back the most expensive recreation centre in Edmonton history failed on Monday.

The amendment, put forward by Ward papastew councillor Michael Janz during Capital Budget deliberations, would have reduced the cost of the Lewis Farms Facility & Park project from the current price tag of $311 million to $185 million.

Councillors who supported the motion said the city needs to invest in renewing the facilities it currently has and worried funding Lewis Farms Recreation Centre would mean rejecting other projects.

“There’s so many projects that are going to be in jeopardy over the next decade that could go the way of Scona pool because we keep investing in the new and not maintaining what we have,” said Janz.

“It was supposed to be approved to build (in the 2019-2022 Capital Budget) and it wasn’t,” said Ward Anirniq councillor Erin Rutherford, “This council is left with the burden of picking up those decisions.”

“We are going to get major flak for the tax increase that’s going to incur because of (Lewis Farms Rec Centre),” Rutherford added.

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Those opposed to the motion, including Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, expressed concerns that if the amendment were to pass, the Lewis Farms Rec Centre would never be built.

Ward sipiwiyiniwak councillor Sarah Hamilton expressed frustration over the motion to diminish the scope of a project council already approved.”This is groundhog day for us again and again,” said Hamilton.

Since construction is already underway, deputy city manager Adam Laughlin told council that a change to the scope of the project at this point could result in “significant” legal costs and would likely require a public re-engagement.

The amendment failed by a vote of 8-5.

“This is what we do, this is what Edmontonians expect their council to invest in,” said Sohi, “So I’m glad council made the decision not to stall or reduce the scope of Lewis Farms.”

“Truly, at the amount that was recommended, it would’ve killed the project. There would have been no project,” said Ward Nakota Isga councillor Andrew Knack.

An afternoon motion to reduce the cost and scope of the three-year rehabilitation of Hawrelak Park by roughly $50-million was also defeated by a vote of 9-4.

Edmonton city council is in the middle of budget deliberations. Discussions are scheduled to wrap up Dec. 16.

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