A meeting is being held Thursday, which we reported on yesterday, at council chambers to get the public’s feedback on a Recreation Master Plan.
If social media is any indication, there will be a lot of strong voices on the matter.
The draft Master Plan is available to be viewed right now, going over studies and surveys and providing recommendations.
That full report can be found here.
This final report still needs to go before council, but one recommendation is turning heads.
It is suggesting constructing a quad arena to improve efficiency and save costs.
The plan would consolidate four ice pads into one location, reducing energy costs and improving ice rental availability.
While the Delhi arena would operate as is, the other arenas in Norfolk would lose their ice and be converted into something different.
Proposed changes include:
- Decommissioning Talbot Arena and converting it into an outdoor skating and festival space.
- Closing Waterford Arena and exploring alternative uses for the facility.
- Repurposing Port Dover Arena into a recreational space for pickleball, volleyball, and a senior center.
- Consulting the public on Langton Arena’s future—potentially for indoor soccer or institutional use.
This new quad would also be home to a new pool.
The recommendation is to construct a 25-meter, 8-lane competitive swimming pool alongside a therapeutic warm water pool.
The existing pool is suggested to be filled in and repurposed as a multi-use space.
The County could look at leasing out the space to a potential fitness facility that would operate as a private business or construct a community center that utilizes
the existing dressing rooms and washroom facilities.
That new facility would include versatile spaces for volleyball, badminton, basketball, pickleball, providing a range of recreational options for the community.
The Delhi outdoor pool continue to operate as is.
Written by Matt LeBlanc