Kitchener gets $10M to complete recreation complex

Kitchener is getting another funding boost for its new recreational complex. CTV’s Hannah Schmidt has more on the project and construction.

The City of Kitchener is getting a $10 million provincial grant to complete construction of a new recreation complex at 1664 Huron Road.

The 222,000-square-foot facility in RBJ Schlegel Park will have an aquatic centre, four-turf field house, two cricket practice nets, an elevated walking track, multi-purpose rooms and the newest addition – a multi-purpose quad-gymnasium.

“The upgrades will allow for hosting sporting events and tournaments, which will bring economic benefits to the region,” explained Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris.

The investment into the quad-gymnasium is part of Ontario’s $200 million community sport and recreation infrastructure fund. It aims to revitalize spaces, create jobs and give families more opportunities to get moving.

“We started the project obviously not knowing there was going to be a gym,” said Project Director Attie Stander. “Now with the funding received from the government, the gym is going ahead, which is amazing.”

City councillors and members of the team, along with Ontario’s Minister of Sport, signed the last structural beam before it went up at the site on Monday.

“We have the recreation piece, which is activity [and] is important for everyone, from the earliest they can start walking to when you can’t walk anymore, which helps our health system,” said Minister Neil Lumsden. “The better we are at that, the better our health system is going to be.”

This is provincial government’s second investment in the project. The city previously received $8.1 million from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

The province is also funding three other projects in the Region of Waterloo.

Chicopee Ski & Summer Resort will get $650,000 for snowmaking and lighting upgrades, while the Albert McCormick Community Centre will get $775,000 for accessibility improvements. And in Wilmot, nearly $380,000 will be used to replace aging refrigeration equipment to keep ice rinks running smoothly year-round.

The Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex is set to open in summer 2026. By that time, the facility will be tournament ready.

“This now makes it a $174 million project, $30 million of which is actually for the gymnasiums,” explained Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “This is really proving to be one of these amazing projects that currently is on time and on budget.”

For local leaders, the investment is about more than just bricks and mortar. It is also about keeping the community active, connected and open for play — no matter the season.

“The other thing we’re really excited about is the sport tourism potential [and] what this will mean for not only the City of Kitchener but also allows us to get bigger tournaments in the region overall,” Vrbanovic said. “That’s really been an integral part of the construction of this project, in terms of reflecting the increased diversity we’re seeing in the City of Kitchener.”

According to Stander, the next big milestone will be in December when the building is enclosed, and work can begin on architectural finishes.