It’s time to say goodbye to Burnaby’s Cameron Recreation Complex as council approved the next phase for the aging rec centre’s redevelopment into a giant community centre four times its size.
At a meeting July 22, council unanimously awarded the final phase of a contract worth $267 million to Graham Construction & Engineering LP for the facility’s redevelopment.
The facility comes in 18 per cent over budget, along with the city’s other major civic redevelopments, as construction costs from concrete to excavation to roofing to mechanical and electrical work have skyrocketed.
The old Cameron complex will close Sunday, Aug. 18 and re-open at the temporary Cameron facility in Lougheed mall on Tuesday, Sept 3.
The city is planning a farewell event on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The old rec centre will be demolished in September and is expected to finish construction in late 2027, with an opening for the new facility in 2028, according to a staff report.
Council members at the meeting did not comment on the estimated 2.09-per-cent tax increase that the Cameron facility’s operating budget is expected to incur when it opens in 2028.
New Cameron amenities
The new community centre will include an array of new features, including two new swimming pools, a weight room, fitness area, double gym, café, teaching and catering spaces.
The building will be a mass timber structure and will feature a green roof visible to neighbouring buildings and solar panels to offset some of the electricity used, according to Charles Allan, director of civic building projects.
Allan noted the building will use 30 per cent less energy than similar facilities.
While the planned building is four times larger than the existing facility, the new rec centre’s parking will be moved underground (at a cost of $23.4 million, or $81,100 per stall), so the building will only take up seven per cent more of the surrounding park space than the existing facility, Allan said.
Cindy Calancie, Cameron’s recreation manager, and Desiree Baron, branch manager at Cameron library, highlighted a variety of the new features that will come as part of the redevelopment.
On the recreation side, there will be a new 10,000 square-foot weight room, almost six times larger than the current 1,700-sq.ft. room.
The facility will include dedicated music rooms, a double gymnasium with a hardwood floor and an interlocking walking track.
A large kitchen will include a teaching component for community kitchen programs, and a banquet hall will have seating for about 150 people.
Youth lounges will be added, and the seniors lounge will have a snooker room attached to it.
The new library will be four times larger than the temporary mall location, which is already slightly larger than the original Cameron facility, Baron said.
The larger size will allow for a larger collection of items with a diversity of languages.
There will be more meeting rooms for community members, including study spaces, digital studios, a dedicated makerspace (which does not exist in any other branch) and a dedicated sensory room for people with neurodivergent needs.
Library staff hope a special storytelling room will lend itself to Indigenous programs.
Burnaby's external advisory panel
Members of an external advisory panel on civic projects recommended the project go ahead as planned.
Architect Mary Chow said the project was “well designed” and “poised to be a vibrant hub for this community.”
Construction industry expert Jason Glue said its pricing is in line with the market and includes appropriate timelines.
Coun. Daniel Tetrault asked staff what level of involvement the advisory panel had on the project or whether it was a rubberstamped “A-OK.”
Allan said the panel gave input over several weeks for the design and the construction contract including adjustments and improvements but noted their changes were not significant enough that the project would look completely different.
What will happen to Cameron programs?
The Cameron library has already moved to the temporary facility in Lougheed mall.
Recreation programs will follow beginning Aug. 19.
Staff’s projected timeline is as follows:
- Aug. 17: farewell closing event at the old Cameron facility
- Aug. 18: last day of operations for old Cameron
- Aug. 19: begin moving to the temporary location at Lougheed Mall (two weeks pause in programs/service)
- Sept. 3: soft opening of recreation at Lougheed
- September or October: grand opening at temporary Lougheed facility
Current Cameron programs will be relocated to other city facilities as follows:
- Seniors and preschool program to temporary Cameron rec centre at Lougheed mall
- Some preschool programs to Charles Rummel Recreation Centre
- Summer camps to Charles Rummel Recreation Centre
- Fitness programs to Charles Rummel Recreation Centre
- Additional badminton play time will be available at Christine Sinclair Centre
- Indoor sports (e.g. pickleball, basketball, squash, racquet ball) available at other Burnaby recreation centres
- Rentals and user groups will be accommodated at temporary Cameron rec centre at Lougheed mall
Watch a flyover rendering of the new Cameron community centre here:
