West Vancouver Council has voted unanimously to expand the scope of the plan for West Vancouver Place for Sport to include a six- or eight-lane track, a lit artificial turf field, new washrooms and change facilities, and new public viewing areas.
The West Vancouver Place for Sport project is a new track and artificial turf field located at West Vancouver Secondary School that will replace the existing deteriorating track and poorly draining grass field. The earlier project scope included a four-lane track and artificial turf field without new washrooms, change facilities, or public viewing areas.
In March 2022, an estimate was obtained for the four-lane track version of the project. The estimate was $9.5 million, with an accuracy of plus or minus 10 per cent.
“West Vancouver has the opportunity to create a spectacular legacy for the community, and we need to reassess and reimagine what this facility can be,” said Mayor Mark Sager. “Council has unanimously voted to explore an expanded scope for the project through a new feasibility study so that we can invest in and build for the future in the best possible way. We want to be able to welcome track meets and other sporting events, which translates to the need for a versatile, six-lane track with change rooms, washrooms, and viewing areas that will be open and accessible to everyone. It is a big project, and one that needs to be addressed in a thoughtful way as we look to support the athletes and champions of tomorrow.”
Planning for this project has been underway since 2014. Although the facility is located on school district land, the Ministry of Education does not fund sports fields. To date, funding to support this project has been committed by West Vancouver Council, West Vancouver Schools, fundraising, and private donations. West Vancouver Council will continue to seek other sources of funding to complete the project.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, I happy to share that we are thrilled with Mayor Sager’s vision for the future of sport in West Vancouver,” said Carolyn Broady, Chair of the West Vancouver Board of Education. “We all know the transformative power of sport and its importance in our schools can lead to better outcomes for our students and the greater community. With this new design we have a first-class legacy project which will serve our community for decades to come.”
Next steps are to develop the expanded project scope and obtain cost estimates. Council allocated $80,000 for this work, which is anticipated to be completed by May 2023.
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