PORT HARDY, B.C. – Work is advancing on the new Port Hardy multiplex project.
The plan, which has been on council’s agenda since 2015, recently received a $6 million grant from the federal government. The money will come from the gas tax fund.
The facility’s Aquatic Centre is set to house a 25-metre pool with lap lanes, a slide, lazy river, beach entry and a leisure zone. A sauna and accessible hot tub will also be included.
“We’re pretty happy here in Port Hardy at the moment,” said mayor Hank Bood.
“I think council and I knew that when we got that (grant) it meant that the project was going ahead in one form or another.”
When speaking with 1240 Coast AM, Bood had just finished a meeting where the District had approved $12.75 million towards the project.
“That puts the basic pool in place, plus an added lane, and there’s also room in that particular decision to add further components as, maybe, some other partners come online,” he said.
“We are still looking for a partnership from the provincial government and at the moment, there’s a staff to staff process going on to get that going.”
Bood explained that with the $12.75 million project cost approved, the District can enter the tendering process.
“It is real, it is actually going to get built,” he said.
“I do not know exactly how long the tendering process goes, I think it’s three or four months, but we will be digging this year.”
He said they probably won’t have any major work, such as the actual construction, started until the fall.
As far as the name for the multiplex goes, Bood noted that they might put that out to the public, but that’s something they will be discussing further now that the project has fully been approved.
