News Release
Captain Spry Centre Re-Vitalization Plan on Track
(Monday, August 27/07)-- Councillors Stephen Adams and Linda Mosher said today plans are on track to re-design and re-vitalize the Captain William Spry Community Centre to meet community demands for increased focus on recreation and youth involvement programming.
The Councillors met today with HRM Transportation and Public Works and Community Development staff for an update on progress of the project, which was approved by Regional Council in March of this year.
“This project is in response to what the residents in that area told us through extensive community consultation, “ said Councillor Adams. “We were pleased that Council supported this pro-active approach and partnership between HRM, the community and Halifax Library Services. We are committed to keeping the residents informed about the progress we are making.”
He said HRM has been unable to keep up with the growing demands for more recreation and youth programming in the Spryfield/Armdale area and the Captain Spry Centre was being under-utilized for these purposes. Some groups occupying space at the centre do not meet the HRM mandate for community recreation and youth programming and were advised last spring of their need to re-locate during a phase-out period.
Councillor Mosher said “The building was a great design for the 1980s, but it doesn’t meet the needs of today. Essentially, you have a swimming pool at one end, and a library at the other end, and very little programming space in between. Staff were at the front desk, but the meeting rooms were in the back , and no other usable space for the greatest demand-- more programming. There is virtually no space for youth groups to access programs that would help keep them off the streets. This project will allow us to re-design the building and make it safer and more attractive to the groups who need it the most.”
Tenders for re-design and construction are expected to come before Regional Council in the coming weeks. Longer -term improvements at the centre may include a skate park, sports courts, tot lot and a pedestrian bridge over MacIntosh Run
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Councillor Stephen Adams
District 18 (Spryfield/Herring Cove)
497-8818
Councillor Linda Mosher
District 17 (Purcell’s Cove/Armdale)
476-4117
