The new, $80 million complex on Granville Avenue will be named the Minoru Centre for Active Living and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2018.
The new name for the multipurpose complex, which is still under construction in Minoru Park, was officially endorsed by Richmond city council on Monday evening.
“This new facility will be at the heart of our community and will become a major destination for residents and visitors,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
“It represents a significant increase in services for aquatics users, seniors and others in order to meet the needs of our evolving community.”
The facility will include an aquatic centre, seniors centre and other recreation and sports amenities.
It will replace the aging and outdated Minoru Aquatic Centre and Minoru Place Activity Centre, as well as the former Minoru Pavilion.
The use of ‘Minoru’ in the name, according to the city, retains a connection to all of the facilities that are being replaced and, of course, its location within Minoru Park.
Other names considered by city staff and council were “Richmond Centre for Active Living” and Centennial Centre for Active Living.”
The former of the other two options was discouraged by staff due to the possibility of it being confused with the nearby Richmond Centre shopping mall.
While the latter, although recognizing Richmond’s original Centennial Outdoor Pool built in 1958, only focused on the swimming element of the new building.
The new facility’s aquatic centre will feature:
• Two 25-metre swimming pools (one eight-lane tank and one six-lane tank) with accessible features and varying depths and temperatures, allowing for greater usability and flexibility in programming;
• A large, leisure pool with features including a river run, spray elements and play features;
• A wellness area with two hot pools, a cold plunge pool, steam room and saunas;
• A large change room area featuring a mix of gender-specific and universal change areas.
The facility’s seniors centre will be located on two floors with a lounge, full-service cafe, a range of activity rooms, including an arts studio, woodworking shop, billiards/games room, multipurpose rooms and a dedicated entrance and lobby.
Other features include a 7,300 square foot fitness centre, offering a range of machines and equipment to cater to users of all ages and abilities.
The facility will also house eight team rooms for sport field users that are accessible from the fields and multipurpose spaces to support tournaments and events.
Richmond’s once iconic Minoru Aquatic Centre is expected to be demolished in 2018 and could be used as green space, considering Minoru Park lost a significant chunk of it with the new recreational facility.
Find out more online about the new facility at YourMinoru.ca.
