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Brant County councillors have voted in favour of Toronto-based MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects Inc. designing a potentially $30-million expansion of the Brant Sports Complex.

The north Paris complex at 944 Powerline Rd. opened in 2011 and has two NHL-sized ice pads, a banquet hall, meeting rooms and a conference room.

“As the County of Brant continues to see steady growth, it’s important to ensure that resource challenges are addressed through the Brant Sports Complex expansion. The expansion is necessary to accommodate the current and future demand for recreational activities, programs, and services and to achieve access to recreation for all. Schools are at capacity, specifically in the Paris area, and there is limited ability to utilize schools for recreational programming,” states a report to council on the reasoning behind the project.

“Daytime use for seniors programming has increased dramatically in the last few years and rental space at local churches and the Paris Legion have been utilized to meet existing needs.”

The proposed addition on the east side of the arena complex would add another 50,000 to 60,000 square feet to the existing 80,000-square-foot facility.

The project is anticipated to include a triple gymnasium with storage, indoor walking track, gender neutral change room/washroom flex spaces, multi-purpose rooms (preschool, seniors, youth programming), customer service and office spaces, a pro-shop and other amenities as space planning allows.

“The facility expansion will provide the essential program spaces to address the majority of issues identified and provide flexibility to centralize program offerings and accommodate future program growth,” the report states, referring to the challenges of meeting demand for programs such as pickleball, summer camp and youth programming.

The addition will be designed to be net-zero through the installation of a solar array and energy efficient electrical/mechanical systems.

The space will also be designed to operate an emergency evacuation centre and have the necessary infrastructure designed with back-up power.

For the cost breakdown, Kathy Ballantyne, director of facilities and special projects for the County of Brant said, “Seventy-two per cent (will be) funded by development charges. The rest of the mix of parkland dedication, tax levy and donations is yet to be determined.”

Although to date a contractor has not been selected, “a pre-qualification for general contractors will occur sometime in the upcoming months,” Ballantyne added.

Once the project breaks ground, construction is expected to last approximately 15 months.