Recreation Centre Task Force
The District developed a roadmap in 2017-2019 to upgrade or replace its many aging facilities. The priority was on critical facilities that provide essential services. To date, three facilities have been replaced – two new fire halls and a new Public Works building (scheduled completion summer 2026).
The District is responding to ongoing community requests for upgraded recreation amenities at Brennan Park Recreation Centre. The District has formed an internal Recreation Centre Task Force (RCTF) to prioritize what potential upgrades and expansions can take place, the costs, and to support Council in making informed decisions that align with the Real Estate and Facilities Master Plan.
Project Scope
The work of the RCTF is necessary to determine the level of upgrades needed and potential cost of recreation centre improvements. The vision remains for a future recreation centre that serves the needs of our growing community.
The RCTF has assembled a team of highly experienced technical experts, including staff and consultants. This team will look at site and facility conditions, validate construction feasibility, engage with key interest groups, assess future recreational needs, develop and recommend a facility development option, estimate preliminary costs, and develop a funding strategy. This work will be presented to Council for review, decision making, and planning next steps.
This work kicked off in June 2026 and staff will prioritize the first phase over the next 12 months.
There are three phases to the RCTF work:
- ➡️ We are here - Phase One
Understand the cost of expanding/upgrading recreational facilities, recommend a preferred facility development option and phasing plan, and develop a funding strategy. - Phase Two
Implement the funding strategy developed in Phase One. - Phase Three
Once funding is secured, move ahead to a final design package, refine cost estimates into a working budget and proceed to construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
The RCTF is an internal staff team created to take the lead on Brennan Park Recreation Centre upgrades and expansions.
The RCTF is made up of staff from multiple departments, including Facilities, Recreation, Finance, Communications, and Economic Development. As the work moves forward, more departments will be asked to add their expertise and knowledge.
The RCTF was formed to continue moving the Real Estate and Facilities Master Plan recommendations forward and in response to ongoing community requests for upgraded recreation amenities at Brennan Park.
The RCTF has assembled a team of highly experienced technical experts, including staff and consultants. This team will look at site and facility conditions, validate construction feasibility, engage with key interest groups, assess future recreational needs, develop and recommend a facility development option, estimate preliminary costs, and develop a funding strategy. This work will be presented to Council for review, decision making, and planning next steps.
Validation work focuses on evaluating past work, identifying current gaps, and confirming priorities for future recreational needs.
Over the past several years, the District has completed a range of needs assessments and community engagement to understand priorities for our recreational facilities. Validation work is needed to make sure the most up-to-date and accurate information is given to guide the District’s long-term capital infrastructure investments.
Phase One work is currently underway and the goal to complete is within 12 months. Additional time may be needed if there are changes in scope, which could include increased levels of engagement, in Phase One.
This work will require licensed and regulated specialized consultants including architects, engineers, archaeological and First Nation consultants, building code consultants and surveyors. A primary consultant will lead the engagement of specialized consultants.
The District is hiring a team of technical experts for work that needs specialized, independent expertise. Using external experts makes sure the work is completed without bias and according to industry standards, which supports transparency and helps to reduce financial, legal, and project risk.
It is important to note that recreational projects must meet the BC Building Code, municipal bylaws, environmental and sustainability requirements (e.g., riparian areas, stormwater management, BC Energy Step Code), and safety and accessibility standards.
Applications for provincial and federal grant programs also need professionally prepared plans, feasibility studies and detailed engineering and architectural drawings.
RCTF work will help determine what recreational infrastructure can be built on Brennan Park lands, aside from the existing Brennan Park Recreation Centre building. Assessment of exact areas will generally be considered where economies of scale can be identified. This work will help to understand and assess infrastructure planning in other areas such as electrical service capacity and an Archaeological Overview Assessment, which support the advancement of the Brennan Park Fields and Lands Master Plan.
Doing this work now will help reduce the scope of work in the future Parks and Recreation Master Plan update. It will allow staff to consider the plan for Brennan Park Recreation Centre now, then focus on prioritizing system-wide recreational capital planning through the future Parks and Recreation Master Plan update.
Project Budget
The RCTF project for validation and pre-development work is budgeted at $525K.
The funding comes from the following budgets:
- Brennan Park Facility Upgrades (validation work) - $125,000 funded by Community Amenity Contributions
- Pre-development work - $400,000 (carried-forward from 2025) funded by Reserves.
Infrastructure Funding
The cost of new facilities is not yet fully understood. This project will help to figure out costs and feasibility.
A funding strategy is a key goal of this work. Municipal reserves, Public-Private Partnerships, sponsorships, and grants are examples of where money can come from for new infrastructure.
Staff will work with the technical consultant team to validate needs and determine infrastructure priorities. As these projects will be expensive and with limited financial resources available, phased construction will likely take place over multiple years. We have limited financial resources available due to the size and composition of Squamish’s tax base, debt servicing on new critical facilities, upgrades to aging underground infrastructure, and other capital priorities.
A new Community Partnerships Coordinator has been hired. This position works with the District’s Economic Development Officer and will support funding strategy development including working with the public on fundraising efforts through the Community Agreements Policy process.
Community Engagement & Communication
The District continues to receive feedback from the community on its recreation needs. This feedback, along with targeted stakeholder engagement, will provide valuable insights during the needs validation work.
Council endorsed the Community Agreements Policy in 2025. This Policy will allow the District to look at funding contributions from partner organizations towards potential infrastructure projects. Reach out to the Community Partnership Coordinator for more information about the Community Agreements program.
A project page with key updates, timelines and information will be kept up to date at squamish.ca.
Project
A recreation needs validation includes looking at how much our facilities are being used right now, reviewing sport and recreation trends, assessing the District's desired level of service, and determining future demands.
The District’s most recent data is more than five years old and does not consider broader recreational trends and best practices in comparison to other municipalities.
Brennan Park Recreation Centre is being renovated/expanded because:
- Upgrades/expansions can be paced and staged as funding is available. Funding to build a whole new centre was not available.
- The existing recreation centre can continue to operate while upgrades and expansion take place, making sure that recreation services can continue for the community benefit.
- Greenhouse Gas emissions that come from demolishing a building and rebuilding are much higher than upgrading/expanding.
Federal and provincial grants are issued for very specific types of projects, which dictate what work gets done and when. Grants offered by the federal and provincial governments are an important funding stream.
To date:
- A grant of $11.7M was secured for the first project to fund energy retrofits and accessibility improvements ($21M total project budget).
- Grants totalling $10.4M were announced in July 2024 for the second project to upgrade the building envelope and improve energy efficiency ($14.2M total project budget).
Phase One RCTF work is anticipated to be completed within 12 months from June 2026. This timeline allows for validation work, archaeological and environmental impact assessments on potential locations for future facilities, electrical needs for future projects, and a current building condition assessment report.
At this time, it is unclear how long new or upgraded recreation facilities will take. Any infrastructure recommendation from this project is still unfunded and needs a funding strategy and secured funding to move forward.
As infrastructure options are refined and if funding is secured, the District will be better able to talk about potential construction timelines.
Master Plans and Strategies
The Real Estate and Facilities Strategy identifies municipal facilities that need replacement, upgrade or expansion to support both current and long-term service needs.
The Real Estate and Facilities Master Plan identifies “What” facilities and land investments need to be made, “When” those investments should be made and “How” to fund them.
Facility upgrades and expansions are prioritized according to community safety, urgency (for example, buildings that are at end of life) and funding availability.
Critical facilities have been the first priority. While the replacement of Municipal Hall is considered critical due to the building’s age, Staff recommended focussing on the work of the Recreation Centre Task Force first, as the community has made ongoing requests for upgraded recreation amenities. This work will help the District be ready for funding opportunities.
It is a long-term plan for the Brennan Park surrounding fields and lands that looks at how they will be used in the future.
It’s important to note that the Brennan Park Fields and Lands Master Plan recommendations are not funded. The intent to advance recommendations is contingent on available District budget, funding opportunities, and funding or resource contributions from the community.
The 2012 Parks and Recreation Master Plan is a strategic document guiding long-term service and infrastructure priorities for Parks and Recreation. The plan has recommendations around infrastructure related to this project. Staff will review it with current data to make sure the plan recommendations are useful and accurate.
This project focuses on recreational needs in and around Brennan Park Recreation Centre. Opportunities for performing arts/cultural space will be looked at when considering multi-purpose spaces. Cultural infrastructure needs will continue to be assessed through the upcoming Parks and Recreation Master Plan and/or Real Estate and Facilities Master Plan updates.
No. Staff continue to move forward with a Field Allocation Policy update and are currently scoping the Parks and Recreation Master Plan update, which is starting in 2027.