Imagine if your town not only celebrated living well, but had a facility dedicated to the wellness of the entire community? In pursuit of this progressive goal, in 2012 Council directed a Steering Committee of community volunteers to consider options for a new indoor facility that would meet current and future recreation needs.
Why was this process initiated?
As Riverview continues to grow, so will the demands on our facilities, programs and services. There is a need to protect existing assets and plan for the future. The Steering Committee was tasked with answering: How do we continue to offer excellent wellness opportunities and how do we grow those opportunities?
The Committee has highlighted the variety of existing opportunities for recreation, leisure and wellness in Riverview and noted the significant financial and personnel support of those initiatives by the Town.
Long-term vision
The Committee conducted extensive community consultations in 2013 to determine the level of community support for a multi-purpose complex within the context of the Town’s existing facilities. Planning and Design was engaged to carry out four ward sessions and a user group feedback session as well as pull all the data together in a report. The consultation process included stakeholder interviews and working session, youth workshops, four public ward workshops, online surveys, and a public open house. A final report was prepared and presented to the committee and Town Council.
In 2014, the Steering Committee commissioned the completion of a Feasibility Study for a new Recreation Complex and the repurposing/revitalization of the Byron Dobson Arena. A professional consulting firm provided a report to the committee and Riverview Town Council that included, among other topics, future opportunities and potential value to the Town in pursuing a new Recreation Complex, possible partnerships, potential business models inclusive of capital and operational costs for the proposed facility, and the potential for fundraising.
In 2016 and 2017, the Steering Committee engaged a fundraising consultant to complete a pre-campaign study on behalf of the Town to determine the potential for fundraising toward a potential multi-use Recreation Complex. A total of 35 interviews were conducted with town officials, citizens and business leaders living or having commercial activities in Riverview. Overall there is great interest, amongst those interviewed, for the proposed project. The pre-campaign study concluded that there was the potential to raise at least $2 million for this project.
Council dedicated funds from 2018 forward to continue to move this project forward. The funds will be used to support a community-led fundraising initiative, further development the facility’s design requirements, and project management. Additional federal, provincial, and municipal funding was announced in April 2023 for the Complex, totaling a combined investment of over $39.9 million. The construction of the facility is proposed for 2024 and 2025.