Parts of the George Preston Recreation Centre are getting an upgrade, with almost $5 million worth of new construction and renovations set to be finished this spring.
The project began last year, and is adding more office space, a new multi-purpose room, and doing some needed upgrades to the building’s infrastructure, said Peter Tulumello, the Township’s director of arts, culture, and community initiatives.
The new multi-purpose room will be smaller than the existing ABC rooms, which are large-scale rooms that can be combined into one big room for large events. Not every group wanted or needed a room that big, so the new room will fill a need.
The need for new offices became clear after the Township took over the management from a third-party operator.
“They are in cramped quarters,” Tulumello said of the Township staffers at the rec centre.
Along with those new additions, the 1970s-era rec centre is getting plumbing upgrades, replaced HVAC systems, some new roofing, a new change room for the dry floor arena, and a renovation of the upper curling rink lounge.
It’s not a full revamp. The main rink and the ABC rooms are essentially being left alone.
“Some of that was done back in the ’70s,” Tulumello noted.
The additions and renovations are expected to be finished between April and May of this spring.