IQALUIT - The city's recreation department is asking Iqalummiut what their vision is for the new recreation facilities as they move ahead in the planning stages for the building.

"A new aquatic centre was identified as the top priority," said Amy Elgersma, director of recreation for the City of Iqaluit at a city council meeting on May 10.

At the meeting, councillors unanimously approved the first phase of the "Building Our Capital; Places to Play, Protect and Prosper" plan.

The second phase involves developing the designs and more planning.

After several years of consultation, the city, along with FSC Architects & Engineers, has come up with a proposed 11,760-square-metre recreation facility which would be located where the current Arnaitok Arena is.

Elgersma said it would house an aquatic centre, an indoor soccer field, a flexi-hall that could be used as a gym or community hall, two smaller multipurpose halls, a fitness centre, a climbing wall, a preschool program area, an indoor playground, a youth centre and a space for elders.

Subsequent to this would be a 4,000-square-metre addition to the Arctic Winter Games arena providing a second ice surface for more leisure activities, a 1,850-square-metre emergency and protective services centre and 3,100-square-metre space for city hall.

Focusing on recreation, the city held design workshops on May 14.

A session on the aquatic centre was held in the morning and another on dry recreation in the afternoon.

About 10 people attended, including several people involved with the Atii Fitness Centre.

Those in attendance were asked to cut images out of magazines of things they would like to see in a new recreation complex.

Folks from FSC Architects & Engineers were on hand to take in the feedback.

"Local trends are to include traditional sports, elders-oriented facilities and a higher emphasis on indoor recreation given the climate," said architect Harriet Burdett-Moulton.

She said the city's current facilities were built in the 1970s and are not well-lit.

With the city's population expected to grow to 10,000 by 2022 and with 31 per cent of the current population under 25 years old, Burdett-Moulton said hearing what residents want is an important part of the process.

Residents like Sherri Young, Crystal Tobin, Catherine Foo and Tanya Trenholm said they wanted to make efficient use of the space, have lots of storage, have well-ventilated and well-lit spaces and see how environmental and sustainable technologies could be used in the design.

Another suggestion was to lease spaces for vendors to generate revenue for the city.

It is no secret the city does not have the cash to build a new complex.

Currently no money is being allotted for the project in the Government of Nunavut capital infrastructure plan from 2011 to 2014.

At the May 10 council meeting, councillors passed a motion allowing the city to apply for P3 Canada Funds, a Crown corporation which operates on the basis of public-private partnerships.

If a P3 subsidy is granted, up to 50 per cent of the planning costs could be covered as would 25 per cent of the project costs. The application for this funding is due on June 30.

Outside of the Building Our Capital project, Sport Nunavut is contributing $66,099 to put in a removable turf system at the Arctic

Winter Games facility.

Elgersma said it will be used in non-ice season for soccer, Frisbee, lacrosse, walking and running.

A potential referendum could take place in the fall as the design and construction of the new facilities moves forward.

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