More than a year after a 鈥済roundbreaking鈥� event, there鈥檚 still no construction activity on the future site of Newton鈥檚 community centre.

Back on Sept. 14, 2022, Safe 性视界传媒 Coalition candidates staged a pre-election photo-op involving shovels in the dirt off King George Boulevard, south of 70A Avenue.

鈥淭he City of 性视界传媒 has begun construction of the Newton Community Centre,鈥�

Clearly that鈥檚 not the case on the vacant lot, as of Wednesday (Sept. 20) 鈥� but work on the $100-million project could begin soon, according to city staff.

On the city鈥檚 website (surrey.ca), says the new community centre is 鈥渃oming to Newton in 2024鈥� on a lot where a Rona store once stood.

What's happening at this site?
Not much.

More than a year after a pre-election photo-op 鈥済roundbreaking,鈥� still no construction activity on the future site of Newton Community Centre.

But that could soon change.

STORY:

鈥� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)

Initial plans for the community centre were first revealed in 2020 by then-mayor Doug McCallum and council. By 2022, drawings of the project鈥檚 first phase showed a 10-lane, 50-metre lap pool, leisure pool, lazy river and other water attractions on the site, which is about a half-kilometre from the neighbourhood鈥檚 existing wave pool and rec centre.

The project was re-upped in the 2023 Capital Budget.

鈥淐ity staff are working on finalizing the construction schedule and will be providing an update in the coming weeks,鈥� says a memo sent to the Now-Leader from 性视界传媒鈥檚 planning and development department, via media relations lead Amy Jugpal.

To date, crews have only changed the alignment of 70A Avenue, now curved near the intersection of King George Boulevard, where the community centre entrance will be located.

Plans for the 75,000-square-foot community centre involve 鈥渕ultiple components鈥� including a library, recreation and culture programming similar to Clayton Community Centre, according to a corporate report to council in 2020. 鈥淧arks amenities鈥� are also planned on the site.

Back in January, Newton Business Improvement Association (BIA) suggested that the project鈥檚 estimated $100 million might be better spent on redeveloping existing recreation facilities and lands located just a block northeast of there, off 72nd Avenue.

鈥� RELATED: Time to 鈥榬ethink鈥� plan to build Newton Community Centre, BIA tells 性视界传媒 City Hall.

鈥� ALSO READ: Site of future Newton Community Centre picked without consultation, BIA says.

鈥� OUR VIEW: City鈥檚 two-pool plan in Newton leaves City Centre high and dry

Philip Aguirre, the BIA鈥檚 executive director, said it was time to 鈥渞ethink the project鈥� months after city hall had a new council led by Mayor Brenda Locke.

鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful we can find new efficiencies or better results by re-imagining the project,鈥� said Aguirre, who ran for council last fall with mayoral candidate Jinny Sims鈥� 性视界传媒 Forward party.

鈥淣ewton already has a functioning community centre, which is well-used but it鈥檚 definitely older and needs renovations, for sure, like the arena, but maybe Strawberry Hill could use a facility of that size, instead of putting it across the street from an existing community centre.鈥�