The much-anticipated Orillia Recreation Centre (ORC) is finally ready to open.
But due to restrictions imposed as a result of the global pandemic, people dreaming of swimming in the new municipal pool will have to wait a little longer.
As finishing touches are worked on at the $55.4-million facility at 255 West St. S., talks continue between the city and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
Currently, provincial guidelines limit the number of people at an indoor facility such as the ORC to 50 people.
“A 50-person limit, including staff, for the entire building is not viable from an operating point of view,” says Ray Merkley, the city’s director of community services.
Merkley says the city is “working closely” with the health unit as it develops opening plans and timelines.
“The big question is the overall capacity of the building. As it stands now, the limit is 50, but as with many recreation centres across the province, this is a very large facility with distinct spaces that can be separated,” he said.
“We are hoping the province will make exceptions to allow for different program areas to abide to the 50-person limit as opposed to the facility overall,” he said.
The facility was expected to welcome municipal day campers this week.
“Due to lower registration numbers for day camp, we didn’t require the ORC for campers this week or next,” said Merkley.
“Day camp is scheduled to start at the ORC the week of Aug. 24 and will be located strictly in the gymnasium,” he said.
And while everyone wishes the facility could open its doors to the public, Merkley says the wait will be worthwhile.
“Every time I go into the building I am amazed at how the vision has become a reality,” said Merkley, noting there is a “wow” factor.
“The building has many unique features which the community will be able to enjoy for years to come,” he said. “Access to a multi-pool aquatics facility, two large gymnasiums, a 225-metre long walking track and a state-of-the-art fitness centre will provide unlimited opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
“It will become the central hub in the community for recreation participation,” he predicted.
He said local user groups - such as the Orillia Channel Cats swim team and Orillia Lakers basketball organization among many others - are looking forward to calling the facility home.
“We’ve been working closely with our user groups throughout this entire journey,” said Merkley. “The building was designed and built with their needs in mind. They are very excited to get into the building but they are also now working through their own respective organization rules and guidelines surrounding COVID.
“We are all working together to figure out how we can utilize the building during COVID,” he said.
And, due to COVID, hiring of new staff has, generally, been put on hold.
To date, Merkley says the city has hired three full-time facility operations staff.
“Due to COVID and the likelihood of reduced programs or participant numbers, we are taking a gradual approach to bring staff on board,” he said, noting the city has conducted some interviews for staffing but contracts won’t be inked until programming plans have been formulated.
There are job postings for various positions on the city’s website, orillia.ca/employment, and people can submit applications unitl Aug. 21.
Those eager to beat the rush can purchase fun passes now. More information is available at orillia.ca/ORC and Merkely says more information on “how we will operate” and about fall programs will be available in the near future.
The ORC was originally slated to open in the spring of 2019. It was beset by delays ranging from weather to skilled trades shortages.
In addition, the price tag has risen since the tender was first signed primarily due to an ever-escalating contingency fund
When construction started, a $2-million contingency fund - about 4% of the cost for the project - was established.
In the summer of 2018, city council approved an additional $850,000 to the contingency "to account for extra costs associated with site conditions."
Then, in January of 2019, council approved an additional $975,000 for the contingency fund.
Finally, in May of 2020, council approved an additional $650,000 to the contingency fund, bringing the total amount of the fund to almost $4.5 million - or about 8% of the total project cost.
Contingencies are used to address issues that arise once construction activities begin, that were unknown and/or outside the scope of the original construction tender documentation.
