Cranbrook will be looking for public feedback on proposals for a new Key City Gymnastics Club location with potential for co-location with childcare services.
The gymnastics club has requested space on city land to construct a new facility while also expressing a desire to co-locate with childcare services, given the synergies of working with young children through the club programs.
In terms of specific requests from the city, the gymnastics club is seeking at least a 1.5-acre parcel with a building footprint approximately the size of the Memorial Arena.
Once the issue of land is resolved, the gymnastics club will be able to develop budgets and begin financing discussions.
In a related matter, the city has applied to the BC government's New Spaces Fund for a childcare facility on a portion of Gyro Park, which is owned by the city. Per the grant program requirements, the city is providing the land, while — if the grant application is successful — the province will fund the construction of the daycare facility itself.
The city says the province has not made a decision on the New Spaces Fund grant application, which was submitted last summer.
However, the new request from the gymnastics club creates a new option to the discussion on revisiting the current location at Gyro Park for a new childcare facility.
If the City wished to request a location change from Gyro Park, the Province would consider it if the new location is similar, however, a significantly different site would not be allowed.
“The City simply cannot afford to build large new recreational facilities, as the gymnastics club is proposing. The increasing costs to maintain the existing buildings we have present a significant challenge while trying to keep tax rates as low as possible. Like the soccer dome proposal from a few years ago, this is another interesting idea," said Mayor Wayne Price, in a press release.
"The City is open to proposals where other groups are willing to cover the costs of building and maintaining a large recreational facility, with no burden on taxpayers, to enhance the quality of life for Cranbrook residents. However, the reality is that new recreational facilities would not be feasible if it were solely up to the City. This Council is committed to greater community engagement, so the next step in the process will be public consultation to gather input from residents.”
Results from the recent Budget 2025 Citizen Survey undertaken last fall, indicated public support (87 per cent of respondents) to lease, sell or rent underutilized city owned land, reducing maintained grass areas to reduce costs, however, reducing greenspace is often opposed.
The city will be sending out a new survey in the coming weeks, that will include questions about garbage collection, recycling collection and the possibility of organics collection, as well as the gymnastics and childcare options.
It is expected that it will be two surveys running in tandem; a statistically valid survey and a public opinion survey similar to the Cranbrook Citizen Survey –
Budget 2025 conducted in the fall of 2024 to provide input to Council heading into budget deliberations.
Sveral options have been identified by the city as potential locations:
Gymnastics Club building location
Balment Park (possibly co-located with child care).
The gymnastics club letter as a proposal, requested co-location with child care. The only site available that would fit this is the Balment Park site. This site is lower cost to develop with no foreseen impact to the taxpayer for development.
It would reduce costs of the existing park lawn maintenance, and it would centralize all the large recreation buildings to this part of the City. The child care facilities would also be world class for location near many excellent forms of recreation and would be very desirable. The loss of greenspace could be a concern with the public
Old Library Site Next to Western Financial Place
This site was a former library building site, so there would be no conflict with underground services. The senior's fitness equipment, which is failing, and replacement parts are difficult to source, is planned to be removed likely this summer. The children's playground is on its last legs due to the abuse and vandalism, and the gazebo currently is nothing but a weather shelter as the picnic tables were damaged.
Building on location will help change the negative use current trends that we see at Western Financial Place in unmanaged spaces.
Moir North Gymnastics Option
This site would cost taxpayers approximately $2.77m to develop a serviced lot with a new road for access, but it would create the ability to have other available
large, serviced recreational facility lots with that same road access for other recreation facilities to develop going forward.
This site is a bit outside of the current City recreation center but could develop a new site for future growth and build on the existing amenities at Moir Park.
Childcare Location Options
Gyro Park
Gyro Park location is a quiet park location, in an area of Cranbrook that needs child care, and would reduce the maintained grass area of park that has comparatively less use and would also reduce annual park lawn maintenance costs.
This site has had some negative feedback due to loss of greenspace in this area of the City.
Balment Park
Balment Park (would require approval by the Province, as the Gyro Park location is approved as part of the provincial grant application, which has not yet been confirmed. Province MUST agree to move the location in the existing grant application).
This alternate location option reduces the maintained area of a greenspace and would reduce annual maintenance costs. Similar to Gyro Park, this potential option will likely also experience public opposition due to loss of greenspace.
This site is located near all major recreation such as swimming, skating, soccer, and possibly gymnastics, as examples. It would be a premium location for a desirable childcare with recreation amenities nearby.
This site map shows if this option is child care only and no gymnastics club building, or if the gymnastics club is able to locate next to Western Financial Place in the old library site across the parking lot.
