Burnaby’s first-ever covered multi-sport court facility is under construction at Confederation Park.
Mayor Mike Hurley visited the construction site at Confederation Park this week along with parks, recreation and culture commission members Sav Dhaliwal, Robin Dhir and James Wang, among other members of city council.
The covered sports facility will primarily host sports such as lacrosse, ball hockey, basketball, volleyball, pickleball and badminton, but could be used for other activities such as yoga and Pilates. The multi-sport court will measure about 65 metres by 25 metres, equivalent to an NHL-sized ice rink, and is set to be be open year-round.
Sav Dhaliwal, chair of Burnaby’s parks, recreation and culture commission, said during the April 18 ceremony that there has been a lot of demand for covered sports facilities in Burnaby over the years, and the commission is prioritizing those type of projects.
“We think investing in infrastructure like this is very important for people to be able to use it when they wish to use it,” he said. “People would love to use something that's available 365 days a year, regardless of the weather, because people want to get out and recreate.”
According to last year’s report by the financial management committee, the municipal government originally set aside $6.5 million to replace the previously open-air lacrosse box at Confederation Park. However, according to Dhaliwal, the estimated investment for this project now is close to $8 million.
Dhaliwal added that there are plans for other covered sports complexes like this one in other parts of the city.
“We are planning another one soon in South Burnaby; it would be very similar to this one,” he said. “And I believe there might be room for another one or two, because I recognize these will be used all the time.”
According to City of Burnaby’s website, the upgraded multi-sport court facility is set to open by the end of this year.
