The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Oceanside Services Committee narrowed expansion options for the Ravensong Aquatic Centre.
At its June 10 meeting, the committee was presented with four options for expansion and renovation to the pool and it carried a motion to make two of them preferred moving forward.
The committee also carried a motion to continue project planning with a goal to begin the expansion in 2023.
One of the options provides all the features the committee is looking for, while the other is more cost effective, according to Director Adam Fras.
He amended RDN staff’s recommended motion to include the full-featured option and said he did not want to limit choices to only cost-effective options.
Each option includes a new four-lane 2.5 m pool with ramp access and a new steam and sauna room. They both increase water area by 67 per cent.
The first option, referred to as 00, has a total project cost of $18.67 million and includes new change rooms.
The other, option C, carries a total cost of $16.56 million and would include 73 per cent new and 27 per cent renovated change rooms.
Both options would be done in two phases and include two short closures to the facility and include a second tank, for future pool expansion.
In total, the expansion would take 30–38 months for both options.
