Residents of Spruce Grove will get a look next month at plans for a $79-million multi-use sport and event centre that would be the largest development in the city’s history.
A proposal to develop the Westwind Centre on a parcel of land south of the Yellowhead Highway and east of Century Road was brought forward to Spruce Grove city council Monday.
The next steps will be sharing the concept with the community, the city said in a news release.
“Nine years ago the city had a vision of creating a development that would be a destination, an amenity for our city as well as the region,” said Spruce Grove Mayor Stuart Houston.
“Fast forward to today and we can see that vision becoming closer to a reality. The potential this development has is above and beyond anything we have seen in the past. It will be the largest development in our history.”
The facility, which would be owned by the city, would have two ice surfaces. A main, multi-use bowl would seat up to 5,300 people and a second community pad would hold 200 spectators.
The main seating bowl would accommodate 5,300 people. A second community pad would hold 200 spectators. (City of Spruce Grove)
The centre would be designed to host “sporting tournaments, trade shows, craft fairs, conferences, concert, graduations, memorials, award ceremonies and more,” the news release said.
To push the concept forward, Spruce Grove officials will talk to the provincial government, neighbouring municipalities and private industry. The city said it has approached the province about a community revitalization levy for the project.
It’s expected city council will vote in January 2018 on whether or not to proceed with the project.
If the project moves forward, it could open by the fall of 2020.
Two public presentations about the project will be held on Monday, April 3, at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove.
Spruce Grove has a population of 34,000 and is 33 kilometres west of Edmonton.