LAC LA BICHE - Weeks after the actual ground began to be dug up by construction crews and heavy machinery, preparing what will eventually be the new $46 million aquatic facility adjoining Lac La Bche's Bold Center, an official ground-breaking ceremony was held last Wednesday.
Before representatives from government, community and the construction teams placed shiny, silver-spaded hand shovels into the ground outside the Bold Center building as cameras recorded the moment, presentations were made inside the building, recognizing the years of work that have gone into the project.
In 2019, says Lac La Biche County's associate CAO of Recreation and Community Services Darrell Lessmeister, a new aquatic centre was a number-one priority for residents responding to a community survey. Municipal officials took that information and began the process to bring that priority to life.
"We started this project by doing feasibility studies and engaging with the community in 2021 to gather more input from the public to see what they wanted with a new facility," said Lessmeister.
Some of those wishes includes water slides a six-lane competition-level swimming pool and a lazy river. When the project was first budgeted, costs were pegged at around $27 million, with provincial and federal grant funding making up more than half. As the project moved along, however, the costs increased, with municipal councillors agreeing last February to a $12 million increase, before approving the most recent price tag of $46 million. The features and footprint of the project have also seen some changes in the years of design, but it continues to offer what the community and other stakeholders have requested, says Lessmeister.
"It's been a long road to get here ... the County remains committed to the vision to bring the vision to the community," he said during presentations at Wednesday's ceremony that included comments from Lac La Biche County Mayor Paul Reutov, representation from Indigenous communities, comments from provincial and federal representatives and members of the design and construction firms involved in creating the new, 35,000 square foot aquatic facility.
Replacing the 10,000 square foot Portage Aquatic Centre that was built at Lac La Biche's Portage College campus in 1988, the new facility will bring new growth to the community, says Mayor Reutov..
"This is one of the largest and most ambitious projects we have undertaken... the benefits of the new aquatic facility will bring quality of life, community health and wellness, as well as economic development and tourism to our county and region," the mayor said, saying the project is part of a dynamic future for the community.
That future, says Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement Chairman Stan Delorme, is based on a a proud foundation of Indigenous heritage. Saying that he and other Indigenous leaders were pleased to be part of the consultation and planning — including designs for Indigenous art and themes inside the new pool area — he said more collaboration is needed.
"The representation here, not only with projects, needs Aboriginal involvement. We've been here all along, you guys. We've been here long before Lac La Biche was established. As Aboriginal people we've helped establish the town that we know as Lac La Biche today through the fur trade. So you may as well partner up with us so we can do these things together," he said.
Going forward, Delorme is looking forward to that continued collaboration between the project and the people it represents.
In closing the ceremony, Lessmeiser said it is all of that support — and continued partnerships — that will move the project ahead, even after the anticipated summer of 2026 construction completion.
"A project of this size and scope takes a long time to bring to fruition and requires community support all along the way. Without that support we couldn't be doing this 100 per cent.
