At the direction of City Council in April 2021, the City of Spruce Grove has been working on a preliminary design of the proposed Civic Centre. The preliminary design will help identify the project’s final size, cost estimates, amenities, and location. This will provide Council with a detailed concept for the project that will inform the decision on moving forward with development.

To help guide this preliminary work, the City has selected GEC Architecture as the lead architect for the project. GEC possesses a wealth of experience with similar facilities across the province, such as Red Deer’s Servus Arena, the Bonnie Doon Leisure Centre Redevelopment in Edmonton, and the Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge and WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary.

In coordination with the architectural work, the City has been working closely with many stakeholder groups to design a space that will maximize benefits for all stakeholder groups and the community members who will enjoy it. Discussions have been held with the Spruce Grove Saints, Spruce Grove Public Library, the Allied Arts Council, minor sports associations, and many others to identify needs in our community and the broader tri-municipal area, including sports, recreation, arts, and culture.

Based on these collaborative conversations, this investment in our region will bring a number of amenities together in one facility, including two ice rinks, a walking track, an art gallery, a black box theatre, and a branch of the Spruce Grove Public Library.

“I am very excited about the potential of this unique Civic Centre project. This facility will be a great addition to our community and our entire region, providing a balanced mix of sport, recreation, art, and cultural amenities that can be widely used by many different groups and organizations. This project is the accumulation of years of work on our Tri-Region Indoor Facility Study, and it also sets the stage for meaningful cooperative discussions following the adoption of our Tri-municipal Regional Plan with Parkland County and Stony Plain. This preliminary design work is an important step for this project’s path forward as we work closely with, and value the input from, our stakeholders and regional partners. Our Administration is committed to having meaningful conversations with our partners as we collaborate on a shared approach that will allow Council to make an informed decision this fall.”

-Stuart Houston, Mayor, City of Spruce Grove

“The Civic Centre is one of many initiatives the three municipalities will be exploring together to enhance quality of life for all of our residents. We look forward to the development of this recreational project, as well as other pursuits in the years to come, ensuring we provide the amenities residents of all three municipalities need in an efficient and financially responsible way.”

-Rod Shaigec, Mayor, Parkland County

“The Civic Centre development is an exciting opportunity not only for Spruce Grove, but for our region as a whole. Combined with Stony Plain’s ongoing recreational facility project, the Civic Centre will create better opportunities for our communities to access high-quality indoor recreation services that support athletic, cultural, and artistic endeavours. This announcement comes after years of hard work and collaboration between our neighbouring municipalities and through the Tri-Regional Plan, the City of Spruce Grove, Parkland County, and the Town of Stony Plain are laying the infrastructure needed to support the Tri-Municipal Region residents of today and the future generations to come.”

-William Choy, Mayor, Town of Stony Plain

“The Spruce Grove Civic Centre is an important project for the citizens of Spruce Grove. Our vision is to design a hub for sport, culture, and connection that will provide the community with memorable experiences for generations to come. At GEC Architecture, we have created some of the most recognized sports and recreation facilities across Alberta and Canada. We are passionate advocates of solutions-driven design that expresses civic pride and builds community. This is an exciting project at an exciting time for the City of Spruce Grove; our goal is to create a centre that is inspired by the principles of innovation, identity and legacy.”

-Andrew Tankard, Partner, GEC Architecture

The location of the proposed Civic Centre is yet to be determined, and negotiations surrounding land acquisition are ongoing. Once the preliminary work has been completed, Spruce Grove City Council will make the final decision on the Civic Centre at a later date. For more information, visit sprucegrove.org/civiccentre.