REC-REATE - Strathcona Gardens Revitalization Project

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May 2026 

Every week brings us one step closer to opening the doors to this incredible new aquatic facility! Here’s a look at what’s happening on site: 

• Crews have been hard at work on the upper and lower roofs, exterior walls, window framing, air handling unit installation, and ongoing civil works.
• Inside the building, the vision is coming to life! Significant progress is underway in the pool areas, change rooms, and access corridors, including architectural ceilings, tile installation, and key electrical and mechanical systems.
• Behind the scenes, work is also advancing in the technical basement corridors with pool piping and equipment, fire protection systems, HVAC installation, and electrical room development.

March 2026

• Concrete work is underway for the leisure pool features, stairs, and ramps
• Exterior and interior framing and roofing are steadily coming together
• Masonry crews are hard at work in the change rooms, sauna, and steam areas
• Painting has officially begun in both upper and lower ceiling spaces
• The lap pool area is gearing up for waterproofing and tile installation
• Mechanical and electrical installations continue throughout the technical corridor and pool deck

December 2025

• Structural steel detailing is nearing completion, exterior wall construction is underway, and roof assemblies are progressing.
• Concrete masonry walls in the technical areas are complete, with change room walls close behind.
• Major milestones for all pools have been achieved, and installation of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and pool systems is now well underway.
• Scaffolding is in place to support interior work, while painting of structural elements and construction of bleachers and slide access stairs continue.

November 2025

• Structural steel and Q-deck installation have been completed in all zones.
• Steel stud framing, roofing, and concrete masonry wall construction are underway.
• Pool piping under the slab is progressing in the hot, wellness, leisure, and lap pools.
• The pool slide platform and access stairs are currently underway.
• Mechanical and electrical piping and equipment installations are advancing in the technical corridor.

September 2025

• Plumbing installations, slab-on-grade, and above-grade structures in the change rooms are underway.
• Backfilling, compaction, and trenching for piping in the hot, wellness, leisure, and lap pools are in progress.
• Masonry work, along with pool, electrical, and mechanical piping in the lower-level service corridor, is progressing smoothly.
• Q-deck installation continues, preparing the base for the pool roof system

July 2025

• Foundations and pool walls are complete, including slab-on-grade at the basement level.
• Current work includes suspended slab construction for the lap, leisure, hot, and wellness pools, along with backfilling, exterior waterproofing, and perimeter drainage installations.
• Next up: Structural steel erection and continued slab-on-grade work with integrated mechanical and electrical systems.

April 2025

• East, west, and south walls at the lap and leisure pools have been built.
• Sub-base prep and north wall construction are next
• Work has started on the hot and wellness pools
• Exterior work includes drainage installation, waterproofing, and insulation of exterior walls

March 2025 

• All exterior foundations, columns, and walls have been poured.
• Construction of the lap pool has begun, with formwork and concrete placement for footings and walls well underway.
• Additionally, mechanical and electrical rough-ins and backfilling are in progress.

January 2025 Project Update: Construction Progress

• Multiple footings and sections of basement walls have been formed and poured.
• Work continues on foundations, basement walls, and plumbing installations in the coming weeks!

December 2024

• Demolition Work: The front yard, pool slide, fitness area, and chemical rooms have been successfully demolished, clearing the way for the completion of bulk excavation in the change room area.
• Civil Infrastructure: A key milestone was reached with the new water main line now connected to both City infrastructure and the facility. Additional civil work, including the installation of sewer and stormwater systems, is ongoing.
• Structural Work: Construction of footings, walls, and columns at the basement level is well underway. This phase is on track for completion by Spring 2025, setting the stage for the next critical milestone: the installation of structural steel.

November 2024

• Our temporary chemical room relocation is done and officially approved by relevant authorities
• Watermain connection to the City has been completed.
• Demolition of the northwest wing is in full swing, set to wrap up in the next couple of weeks.
• Excavation for the new aquatic centre is ongoing, and we’re thrilled to watch it take shape!

October 2024

• The General Contractor is officially on site! All temporary facilities and signage are up and ready to guide you. 
• Civil work to improve access to the facility is complete. 
• The pool slide has been successfully decommissioned and removed. 
• Detailed excavation for the pool’s foundation is currently in progress. 
• Temporary chemical room installations are underway, with relocation expected to be completed by October 11th. 

September 10, 2024

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) celebrated a significant milestone on September 10, 2024, with the groundbreaking ceremony for the highly anticipated REC-REATE project. The event took place at Strathcona Gardens on the future site of the new aquatic centre, officially marking the commencement of construction for this major community enhancement project. Read more at RecreateSG.ca/news After years of community and government support, we are excited to finally break ground on this exciting project. We understand there will be some changes and adjustments needed by the public as we watch the new building take shape, and we hope you can use this page to find information and answer your questions. 

The last day in our current pool will be on Friday, September 25. Stay tuned for plans about our farewell celebration after 47 years of operation! Have old photos to share? E-mail them to marketing@srd.ca

Mechanically, both pools could be open at the same time, however our staff teams will require extensive safety and rescue response training. We simply do not have enough staff to complete both training for the new and operating the old facility at the same time.

Public access to the facility will begin on October 16. Please subscribe to our new Strathcona Events newsletter at srd.ca/sgnews to be the first to hear about pool access opportunities!

Monthly passes are on hold for the month of October. Fees will not be charged again until we are able to provide our full schedule.  Single drop-in, 10-visit and Life Passes will continue to be accepted as methods of payment to the new aquatic centre.

More information on the registration process is coming soon in early October. We know our community will be so excited to use the new aquatic centre, but the new facility has a temporary capacity limited to 200 participants. This is due to the Health Regulations related to the number of changing facilities currently available. Please see the FAQ below related to changing facilities.

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Our aquatic centre will open in October with two universal change areas. Private change cubicles will be in place, but we expect high demand, so you may have to wait for a changing stall. Some participants may wish to come and leave in their swim wear.

Once the existing pool is decommissioned, construction on a third change area will begin and the three permanent change rooms (Mens, Womens, and Universal) will be in place for Summer 2027. 

Click the image to view a helpful Q & A on our new universal change spaces.

Great news! Lockers are now included in your visit, and quarters are no longer necessary.  Our new lockers operate on a 4-digit pin code that you will set once you are ready to lock. When returning to your locker, you will punch in your 4-digit code to unlock it, at which time the code erases for the next user.

1. The new minimum age to swim without a parent in the water with a child is 8. All children ages 0-7 must have a parent or caregiver within arms reach in the water with them. 
2. The new minimum height to ride the waterslide is 48” and maximum weight is 265lbs. This is set by waterslide manufacturers and regulated by Technical Safety BC.
3. All outdoor shoes will be removed in the designated area after reception, before entering the change rooms. Only clean indoor footwear is permitted in the change rooms or on the pool deck. Bring your pool shoes or go barefoot!

A new temporary entrance and reception desk for pool programs will be open from the parking area in front of the new aquatic centre. Look for the signage along the construction fencing and on the new entrance doors. 

Our existing reception desk will continue to be used for arenas, studio fitness, and non-aquatic rehabilitation programs. The old front entrance will be closed, please access reception via the Arena 2 or Pinecrest road access doors.

The work is far from over! Phase 1 of the REC-REATE project also includes an incredible new Wellness Centre for fitness and rehabilitation. We also have one more change room and a new “Social Heart” coming with a reception desk and meeting rooms! We expect this to be complete in the Summer of 2027.