Banff politicians have approved spending $960,000 to increase the proposed Banff Elementary School gymnasium to a full-size facility now that the Banff Centre is getting rid of most of its gym space at the Sally Borden.
The gym, proposed to be part of phase two of Canadian Rockies Public School’s elementary school redevelopment, would be made available to the Town of Banff for exclusive use after 6 p.m. weekdays and throughout weekends.
“Our community could have the benefit of a larger facility. We’re losing some of what we have access to at the Sally Borden Building,” said Councillor Chip Olver, who moved the motion at council’s meeting Monday (Nov. 14).
“The building of an elementary school is so rare to happen in your community and the chance to maximize space that’s going to be there for community use doesn’t come along frequently,” she added.
“It is really such a rare and unique opportunity. It also increases the likelihood of the province approving phase two of the Banff Elementary School development, because the province likes to see partnerships.”
To date, Banff council has invested $789,240 for phase two of the elementary school project, $503,240 for construction of dedicated Out of School program space and $286,000 for showers and Town of Banff storage.
Town of Banff officials say the $961,909 contribution for a larger, 751-square-metre gym, to be funded through the general capital reserves, would bring the municipality’s total contribution for phase two of the project, to $1.75 million.
“Were the Town of Banff to build its own gymnasium facility as an add-on to the Fenlands recreation centre, the estimated costs would be approximately $4.2 million,” said Alison Gerrits, the Town’s community services manager.
As part of the planned Lloyd Hall redevelopment, the Banff Centre will convert most of the space of its current full-size gym at the Sally Borden into a bigger weight room and new yoga studio/flex space.
Renovation plans show the new weight room will occupy two-thirds of the current gym space, leaving the rest of the area for yoga/flex space. This would mean court sports such as basketball or indoor soccer couldn’t be played.
“The space will be approximately one-third smaller, which would certainly limit the types of sporting activities that could be played,” Gerrits said.
Jenny Spurr, media and communications officer for the Banff Centre, said knowing the existing weight room, spin studio and yoga facilities are most used by the community, the Banff Centre is expanding the weight room and building a dedicated yoga-flex space.
“We estimate renovations will take approximately six weeks, sometime from late March to early May 2017,” she said. “Our pool area, spin studio, and climbing gym will not be impacted. And, once complete, the flex space will still accommodate some sports.”
Ken Riordon, facilities manager for Canadian Rockies Public Schools, said a new agreement between CRPS and the Town of Banff would be drawn up, stipulating Banff would have dedicated access to the gym after 6 p.m. weekdays and throughout weekends.
Should a special school activity or event be planned on the weekend or in the evening, he said CRPS would be able to book the gymnasium, as long as reasonable notice is given for regularly school programming run by the municipality.
“We are happy to do what we can to assist the municipality in its efforts to address community gym space,” Riordon said.
