Substantial completion has been achieved for both the curling centre and now the aquatic centre at the CUPlex.
That good news was relayed to city council Monday night by parks and recreation director Keith Anderson.
As well, they are "really close" to achieving substantial completion at the theatre, and the field house is still on track for completion in early November.
According to Anderson, the curling centre was the first of the components to achieve substantial completion July 25, with a release of the 10 percent holdback coming Sept. 3. As for the Battlefords Co-op Aquatic Centre, it received substantial completion sometime last week.
While substantial completion is now achieved for the new aquatic centre, Anderson is quick to point out the new building is not yet open to the public. He also outlined what was going to happen during the transition period to come as activity winds down at the existing Kinsmen Aquatic Centre, which will continue operations until the new facility opens.
It was announced that lessons at the existing pool would wrap up as of Aug. 24, as staff will be going into training at that point at the Battlefords Co-op Aquatic Centre. Anderson said they want to take advantage of the fact that school has not started yet and be able to train their staff before it starts.
Daytime swimming at Kinsmen Aquatic Centre was due to end Aug. 27, Anderson told council. However, the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre will remain open for swimming in the evening and on weekends. Hours for public swimming there are 7 to 8:30 p.m. seven nights a week, as well as between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. for students and adults. The Kinsmen Aquatic Centre will also be open between 1 and 3 p.m. on weekends, but will not be open on Labour Day.
"People will have a pool to use while we are in this training period," Anderson assured council.
He expects the training period to last about three weeks. As well, the reception area will remain open at the existing pool during the day.
It is estimated that the new Battlefords Co-op Aquatic Centre will officially open to the public sometime in September. Anderson says they are tentatively targeting Saturday, Sept. 15 for the opening with public swims, with fall programming not beginning until Sept. 24.
Anderson adds that each individual building will have a ribbon-cutting. Once the fourth building, the field house, is complete there will be a grand opening for the entire CUPlex.
As for other components, at the curling rink the ice plant was completed and so was the ice plant training and final air balancing, and a flooring contractor is finishing up on a few work orders. Some site grading and landscaping is also taking place.
At the field house, block wall construction was ongoing with the first and second floors and Anderson noted the progress there, calling it a "totally different building" from what it was before.
While the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts has not yet achieved substantial completion, that has not impeded the planning for the grand opening celebrations there beginning Sept. 20.
Coun. Grace Lang reported that an opening "celebration extravaganza" will take place Thursday Sept. 20 and 21 starting at 8pm, with a wide range of community talent.
Lang was involved with the auditions process and noted "the talent in this community is absolutely astounding."
Additional events planned include a dinner and performance by Colin James, as well as a performance by the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra.
