The Village of Haines Junction and the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN) are advancing plans for a new recreation centre on the site of the former swimming pool and community hall, supported by $110,000 in planning funds announced by the Yukon government on May 6 to support a community-led design process.
Initial plans for the facility include an aquatics centre, a fitness area and a multipurpose space for programs such as yoga, fitness classes and community gatherings.
The funding, provided through the Yukon government’s community development fund, will support the design phase of the project, which is being led through a partnership between the village and CAFN.
“It’s to be determined what will make the cut, but I would say that a pool itself was the highest, highest-ranked priority,” said David Fairbank, chief administrative officer for the Village of Haines Junction. “The rec needs assessment also identified the desire for a multi-use space that could be for fitness classes, yoga, or community gatherings.”
Recommendations from the recreation needs assessment were presented to the Haines Junction council on Oct. 25, 2023. Conducted between April and October, the assessment marked the first step in a multi-year effort to replace and upgrade the community’s recreational infrastructure.
The project has since entered the funding application stage, following months of public consultation, stakeholder engagement and operational cost modelling, according to the Oct. 19, 2023, recreation strategy document. Once funding is secured, the next phases are expected to be contract tendering and construction, which could take one to two years according to the strategy document.
The 2023 recreation needs assessment gathered input from residents through surveys and engagement sessions. It identified growing demand for more walking, biking and ski trails, additional playgrounds in green spaces, expanded children’s and arts programming, swimming lessons and new amenities such as a whitewater kayak park and covered outdoor play areas.
“The feedback included in the 2023 rec needs assessment looked at elders, families, youth, all separately, and took all of that data into consideration when making those recommendations. That information will be brought forward into the conceptual design," Fairbank said.
The new recreation centre in Haines Junction is planned for the site of the former Shakwak Valley Community Pool on Karman Street which is attached to the old curling rink and community hall. Built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the facility has since closed.
The pool last operated in 2018 and the curling rink and hall have also stopped regular use, according to the 2023 strategy document. Community events have since moved to other venues, while local programs, including curling and youth camps, have adapted to fill the gap left by the aging facility.
The village is currently finalizing a partnership agreement with CAFN and is preparing a preliminary budget to determine the scope and scale of what local programs will take place at the new centre, Fairbank said. Once completed, the municipality is expected to work with an architect to develop new conceptual designs based on the priorities identified in the assessment.
Kobayashi+Zedda Architects presented an initial concept for the Haines Junction recreation centre to council on Nov. 27, 2019, during a public meeting. The presentation included a feasibility study, floor plans, energy modelling and projected operating costs.
While the design helped outline the potential size and scope of the facility, a 2023 strategy document from the Village of Haines Junction noted that the estimated year-round operating costs, particularly for the pool, exceeded what the municipality could afford at the time.
Fairbank told the News that a final design for the recreation centre has not yet been completed and its size and layout will remain undetermined until a final budget is established. While residents of Haines Junction will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the final design through public consultations once it becomes available, the amenities for the new facility have already been decided, he added.
—With files from Amy Kenny
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
