The Mayor of Kamloops is calling for expedited design work for other projects connected to Build Kamloops, saying he and others would like to see the work fast-tracked.

Reid Hamer-Jackson argues the overall Build Kamloops concept – which he says he still supports – is being based on a conceptual drawing of just the Centre for the Performing Arts.

He argues if other projects can be put together more quickly in detail, it could provide an opportunity for more grant funding to ease the potential burden on the taxpayers.

“We have a conceptual design for recreation for rinks, pools, possibly agriculture, convention, and I think we can get a lot more federal and provincial grant money if we have that stuff ready to go,” Hamer-Jackson said, on the NL Noon Report.

“Let’s get some drawings for the rinks and lets get some conceptual designs for pools and other things and why not add agriculture in there. I just think we need to have it on a big platform.”

Hamer-Jackson’s comments to Radio NL comes a little over a week after he voted in favour of the plan to borrow up to $275-million to design and construct the Kamloops Centre for the Arts downtown and the four-sheet ice multiplex in Dufferin.

“I was on the board at Kamloops Minor Hockey in 2009 and we needed ice rinks back them,” Hamer-Jackson added. “We need pools and things like that, but like I said over the last year and a half, all that has come to the forefront has been a shovel-ready project.”

That conceptual design for the Centre for the Performing Arts – the top priority in the City’s Recreational Master Plan – was the result of work and spending by Ron and Rae Fawcett of the Kelson Group.

“Thanks to the dedication and significant investment of local philanthropists Ron and Rae Fawcett, the City has a comprehensive conceptual design for the Kamloops Centre for the Arts that will allow this project to proceed much faster than the other priorities identified for Build Kamloops,” the City’s Capital Projects Manager Matt Kachel said in a January report.

“The Fawcett’s have advanced the project to a point where no further progress can be made without the City moving it to the next phases, which are validation and detailed design.”

In early February, Council approved spending $7 million to complete the validation and detailed design work for the arts centre to get the project to a Class “A” shovel-ready state.

A Build Kamloops timeline released by the City shows that planning work for the four-sheet ice multiplex and the indoor curling and racquet sport complex – which would include conceptual Class “D” cost estimate drawings – is expected to get underway later this year with design work to begin in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

No money has been earmarked by the City of Kamloops to take those yet to be created Class “D” cost estimate drawings to Class “A” drawings, which is required for many grant applications.

Similar planning work for the new indoor field facility is expected to begin in 2026, with planning work on a new indoor swimming pool on the North Shore following suit in 2027. Design work on those two facilities is then expected to get underway in 2028 and 2029 respectively, with a second borrowing approval tentatively scheduled for 2029.

Build Kamloops also includes a trio of smaller projects in partnership with local community groups – a new seniors community centre in North Kamloops, a renovated indoor soccer dome, and new daycare spaces near McDonald Park.

At this time, Build Kamloops does not include an Agriplex, as it was not identified as a need in the Recreation Master Plan, though the City says it is a “future opportunity to explore.”

“The Recreation Master Plan was adopted in 2019 by the previous Council following community engagement at that time. The feedback and data from that engagement process is what led to the identification of the facilities in the Build Kamloops program,” a statement from the City said. “In other words, we are implementing an adopted plan supported by formal community feedback.”

“In the future, we will revisit the Recreation Master Plan and engage the public just like we did for the 2019 Rec Master Plan. That would be an ideal opportunity for folks wanting an Agriplex to get involved, engaged, and have their voices heard.”

There is no word yet on when the proposal to borrow up to $275 million – which will be decided upon by the Alternate Approval Process or reverse petition – will be put to voters, though expectations are that could take place in early August.

The City is planning to use $10-million of the money it borrows for future development and design work related to the other Build Kamloops recreation initiatives.

You can find more about the Build Kamloops Initiative, including the scope of the selected projects, here.