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Opinion: This booming Burnaby neighbourhood is why we need a $252M community centre

It's a high cost, but badly needed as area grows
lougheed
New towers at the City of Lougheed.

Something surprising happened the other day.

People complained about the City of Burnaby building a new community centre. More details were released recently about the proposed Cameron community centre, including a price tag of $252 million, 202,000 square feet of space and the addition of aquatics features like a lap pool.

I expected this news to be met with universal adulation because the city – under the Derek Corrigan regime - had been accused of being stingy with spending.

Instead, I got a series of emails from grumbling “taxpayers.”

“This seems like too much money to spend at this time,” read one email. “I think they should scale back the project to lower the cost.”

Incredible. The city is finally spending some money on big projects to benefit citizens, like the new arena in South Burnaby, and people are complaining that it’s too much.

I’ve listened for years to people saying Burnaby was too cheap with its tax dollars.

I know the price tag is high, but this centre is badly needed because the Lougheed area is blowing up bigtime. Towers are going up on the mall site, with plenty more as plans will resemble what’s going on at the Amazing Brentwood. Lougheed is one of the four city centres, along with Edmonds, Metrotown and Brentwood.

All those people need things to do and amenities. This project will deliver that, including an aquatics facility with leisure pool, six-lane lap pool, hot tub, sauna and steam room, party room, on-deck viewing space, universal, accessible, gender neutral changing facilities and outdoor sundeck.

There will also be a running track and youth lounge, larger library, gymnasium, weights & cardio, active studios, multi-purpose rooms, and seniors lounge.”

Including supporting ancillary spaces and parking, the proposed building has a total gross area of 202,000 square feet, said the report.

Other proposed features include:

  • Cafe with outdoor patio seating
  • senior lounge with snooker room
  • various sized active studios
  • weights and cardio equipment area
  • four-lane indoor walking and running track
  • outdoor weights terrace and gym space

That is a lot of features and they will be housed in a new three-storey structure. It really is an exciting project that will transform the neighbourhood and provide much-needed services to the community.

So maybe stop the complaining.

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.