Dartmouth Sportsplex's $23M expansion needs provincial approval

A $23 million retrofit of the Dartmouth Sportsplex needs approval from the Nova Scotia government before it can go ahead, an official said this week. 

The facility sits on common land and a rule change in 2011 means it now needs provincial permission to expand any existing structure.  

"We are expanding onto the existing parking lot area," said Max Chauvin, general manager for the Sportsplex, "about 1,000 square feet." 

The expansion will include a new gymnasium and a new main entrance. The Sportsplex will be closed for 18 months and 185 full- and part-time workers have already received their layoff notices. The work is supposed to begin next June. Only the rink will remain open because it has separate entrances and its own washrooms.

Chauvin said the request to the province could not be made until the design was finished and the specifics of the expansion were known. He does not anticipate any issues and said preparation work will continue.

Mayor Savage asked to write for permission

"We need to start thinking about what are we going to do with some of the contents of the facility and where are we going to store things," said Chauvin.  

A report will go to Halifax Regional Council on Tuesday. It includes a recommendation that Mayor Mike Savage write to Zach Churchill, the minister of municipal affairs, requesting permission for the proposed expansion.  

After the construction is completed, the Sportsplex will have a new swimming pool with a splash pad, slides and an accessible whirlpool. There will no longer be a sauna or steam room.

A double-court gymnasium will be built where the building's common room now exists and a glassed-in fitness centre will overlook the harbour.

The racquetball and squash courts will be refurbished and the front desk will be relocated to the parking lot entrance at the back of the building.