Phase 1 of REC-REATE is the result of years of facility assessments, community engagement, planning, design, funding efforts, and approvals.

The new Aquatic Centre is scheduled to open in Fall 2026, followed by completion of the remaining Wellness Centre improvements in Summer 2027.

2015 | Facility Needs Assessment
- A comprehensive Facility Needs Assessment examined whether Strathcona Gardens was meeting current community recreation needs and how the facility would need to evolve to serve residents over the next 5, 10 and 20 years.
- The process included community surveys, interviews, and workshops with facility users and the community.
- View the Facility Needs Assessment

2016 | Facility Condition Assessment
- A Facility Condition Assessment evaluated the condition of the existing facility, aging infrastructure, and the costs associated with maintaining existing services.
- Together, the Needs and Condition Assessments helped establish the need for significant renewal of Strathcona Gardens.
- View the Facility Condition Assessment

In 2016, the SRD commissioned HCMA Architecture + Design to explore options for the renewal and expansion of Strathcona Gardens.

This stage included:

A revised design was approved by the SRD Board in April 2018, followed by approval of the schematic design in November 2018.

2019 | First Federal Funding Application
- The SRD applied to the Canada-British Columbia Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Community, Culture and Recreation Stream to support the broader REC-REATE project identified through the schematic design process.
- The application was not successful.
2020 | Second Federal Funding Application
- A second application was submitted to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Community, Culture and Recreation Stream, based on a revised project scope.
- The application was not successful.
December 2020 | Phase 1 Detailed Design Approved
- The SRD Board supported moving forward with detailed design for Phase 1 – Aquatic & Wellness.
- The project moved into procurement for a design team and Construction Manager to assist with detailed design and pre-construction planning.

2021 | Detailed Design Begins
- In early 2021:
- HCMA Architecture + Design was selected to design the new Aquatic & Wellness facilities.
- Heatherbrae Builders was selected as Construction Manager to provide pre-construction services.
- Detailed design began in March 2021.
2022 | Canada Community-Building Fund Application
- The SRD applied to the Canada Community-Building Fund – Strategic Priorities Fund, seeking $6 million toward construction of the new Aquatic Centre.
- The application was not successful.
November 2022 | Detailed Design Completed
- Issued-for-tender drawings were completed in November 2022, concluding the Phase 1 detailed design process.
- The completed plans established the design for the new Aquatic Centre, Wellness Centre, fitness spaces, changerooms, gathering areas and associated improvements.
February 2023 | Green & Inclusive Community Buildings Application
- The SRD applied to the federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program, seeking $13 million toward construction of Phase 1.
- The application was not successful.
2023 | Phase 1 Funding Approved
- The SRD Board approved the 2023–2027 Financial Plan, which included approximately $73 million for REC-REATE Phase 1.
- This allowed the project to continue moving toward tendering and construction.
October 2023 | Electoral Approval
- Electoral approval was obtained to borrow funds in support of the REC-REATE project.

January 2024 | Trade Prequalification
- Prequalification of key trades began in preparation for Phase 1 construction.

March–June 2024 | Tendering & Contract Award
- Phase 1 construction was tendered beginning in March 2024.
- Following tender results and a cost-reduction process, the SRD Board approved awarding the construction contract to Heatherbrae Builders in June 2024.
August 2024 | Construction Begins
Construction of Phase 1 – Aquatic & Wellness officially began in September 2024.
Construction has been phased to allow existing areas of Strathcona Gardens to remain operational while the new facilities are built.

May 2025 | Detailed design for the proposed Rod Brind’Amour Arena redevelopment was completed
- Based on the Class A cost estimate at that time, the proposed arena redevelopment was estimated at approximately $61 million, bringing the estimated cost of both phases of REC-REATE to approximately $131 million.
- In May 2025, the Regional Board gave first, second and third readings to the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Facility Loan Authorization Bylaw, which proposed borrowing up to $57.1 million for Phase 2. The Board also approved proceeding with an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) to seek elector approval for the borrowing.

June 2026 | A New Direction for Phase 2
- Following the Alternative Approval Process and further review of Phase 2, the SRD continued to evaluate options to address the long-term needs of the arena facilities, recreation capacity, parking and site access.
- The SRD approved a new direction for Phase 2 in partnership with the City of Campbell River that includes the addition of a third sheet of ice at Strathcona Gardens, construction of a new parking lot at Pinecrest Park and a covered path that connects the parking to the rec facility.
- The revised approach is designed to expand ice capacity while allowing the existing arenas to remain operational during construction and improving parking and access to the recreation complex.

Phase 1 construction continues toward two major milestones:

Phase 1 Timeline