Phase 1 – Aquatic & Wellness

Phase 1 of REC-REATE is transforming the aquatic, wellness, fitness and shared spaces at Strathcona Gardens.

The project responds to aging infrastructure, growing recreation demand, changing community needs and feedback received throughout the planning and design process.

Construction began in September 2024. The new Aquatic Centre is scheduled to open in Fall 2026, with the remaining wellness and fitness improvements expected to be completed in Summer 2027.

New Aquatic Centre – Opens October 2026

The new Aquatic Centre has been designed to provide more opportunities for recreation, swimming lessons, training, play, rehabilitation and wellness for people of all ages and abilities.

Lap Pool

The new 8-lane, 25-metre lap pool will provide additional lane space for:

• Public swimming
• Swimming lessons
• Swim club programs
• Training and fitness
• Aquatic programming
• Inflatable obstacle courses and youth activities

Features will also include:

• 1-metre springboard
• Climbing wall
• Accessible pool entry

Leisure Pool

The leisure pool will provide a welcoming space for families, children and recreational swimmers.

Features include:

• Beach-style entry
• Tot splash zone
• Spray features
• Lazy river
• Waterslide

Zero-depth entry will make the leisure pool easier to access for young children, seniors and people with mobility challenges.

Wellness Pool

The new warm-water wellness pool has been designed specifically to support rehabilitation, therapeutic programming and accessible recreation.

The wellness pool will feature:

• Ramp entry
• Raised pool edge to support assisted entry
• Benches with support bars
• Warm water suitable for therapeutic activities
• Space for mobility, rehabilitation and strength programs

The dedicated wellness pool will allow programs for people living with arthritis, recovering from hip or knee injuries or surgery, and those requiring therapeutic exercise to expand in a space designed specifically for these activities.

Hot Pool, Sauna & Steam Rooms

Phase 1 also includes:

• New hot pool
• New sauna
• New steam room

These spaces will complement the aquatic and wellness programming available throughout the facility.

Designed for Accesibility

Accessibility has been a key consideration throughout the design of the new Aquatic Centre.

Features include:

• Zero-depth entry into the leisure, wellness and hot pools
• Accessible ramp entry
• Pool lift access to the main lap pool
• Universal and gendered changerooms (both phases completed)
• Improved accessible dressing spaces
• Sound-dampening features around the wellness pool and hot pool
• High-contrast visual design to support people with visual impairments
• Colour and material choices intended to reduce sensory stimulation

Wellness & Fitness – to be Completed Summer 2027

Phase 1 goes beyond the new pools. The project includes significant improvements to wellness, rehabilitation and fitness spaces, creating more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to stay active and support their health and well-being.

The design responds to community feedback and changing recreation trends, including increasing demand for accessible fitness, rehabilitation and wellness programming.

Wellness Centre

A new Wellness Centre will provide dedicated space for wellness, physiotherapy and rehabilitative services.

The new area will include:

• Wellness reception and waiting area
• Treatment rooms
• Assessment rooms
• Space to support physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
• Improved accessibility and connections to aquatic and fitness programming

Locating these services close to the aquatic and fitness areas will create opportunities for integrated rehabilitation and wellness programming and make it easier for participants to move between services.

Fitness Spaces

The existing natatorium will be renovated to create larger fitness spaces adjacent to the new Wellness Centre on the first floor.

Moving and expanding the fitness area will:

• Improve accessibility
• Increase opportunities for fitness programming
• Better connect fitness, wellness and rehabilitation services
• Support expanded aquatic, wellness and fitness programming
• Provide more flexible space to respond to changing community needs

The project also includes enlarged universal fitness changerooms, providing more accessible and inclusive spaces for facility users.

Multipurpose Spaces

New multipurpose rooms will provide flexible space for a wider range of recreation and community programming, including:

• Recreation and fitness programs
• Training and workshops
• Community activities
• Birthday parties
• Wet-program activities
• Meetings and group use

Additional storage will also provide more space for equipment and help support expanded programming.

Supporting Community Health & Well-Being

Recreation facilities play an important role in helping people stay active and connected throughout their lives.

As the community grows and ages, there is increasing demand for recreation opportunities that support active living, mobility, rehabilitation and overall health and well-being.

By bringing aquatic, fitness, wellness and rehabilitation spaces together, Phase 1 will provide more opportunities for residents to participate in programs that support healthy, active lifestyles — from recreation and fitness to recovery and therapeutic programming.

Gathering & Shared Spaces

Phase 1 will improve the overall experience of arriving at and moving through Strathcona Gardens.

Improvements include:

• Renovated lobby
• New reception area
• New administrative offices
• Indoor Social Heart gathering space
• Outdoor Social Heart
• Aquatic patio
• Improved drop-off area
• New landscaping

These shared spaces are intended to make Strathcona Gardens more welcoming, accessible and easier to navigate.

Why These Improvements Are Needed

The original main pool opened in 1979, with the leisure pool, hot tub and waterslide added during a major expansion in 1995.

Over time, aging infrastructure,  issues with the existing pool basin and increased demand for programs highlighted the need for significant renewal.

Planning also considered changing recreation trends.

Swimming lessons remain an important part of aquatic programming, while an aging population has increased demand for therapeutic, rehabilitation and wellness programming.

Phase 1 was designed to respond to these changing needs by increasing aquatic capacity, improving accessibility and providing dedicated wellness and fitness spaces.