Maple Ridge voters to decide future of $393 million recreation plan in October

Maple Ridge residents will have the final say this fall on the city’s largest-ever recreation investment after council unanimously voted Tuesday to send three separate borrowing questions to voters in an Oct. 17 referendum.

Following hours of public input and council debate on June 30, councillors endorsed staff’s recommendation to seek voter approval for up to $393 million in borrowing for a new Hammond Aquatics and Recreation Centre, a multi-use community park at the Maple Ridge Golf Course site, and an expansion of the Albion twin-rink arena.

Council also unanimously agreed to split the referendum into three separate ballot questions, allowing residents to vote independently on each project rather than approving or rejecting them as a package.

Mayor Dan Ruimy said the decision now rests with the public after years of planning and consultation.

“We have come to the point where it is now up to the people to make that decision,” Ruimy said. “I have no desire to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes. Whether it’s one question, two questions, or three questions, I want the focus of the questions to be the actual merit of each project.”

The Recreation Ready proposal includes a $227-million aquatics and recreation centre at Hammond Community Park, a $23-million first phase of a multi-use community park at the Maple Ridge Golf Course site, and a $143-million twin-rink arena expansion at Albion Fairgrounds.

Staff estimate the projects would require a four-year property tax increase of three percent annually beginning in 2027, supplemented by Amenity Cost Charges paid through new development.

Under the proposed funding model, the increase would amount to about $55 in the first year for a home assessed at $650,000, rising to approximately $238 annually by 2030. A $1-million home would see an increase of about $90 in 2027, growing to roughly $385 annually once the projects are fully funded.

Coun. Judy Dueck said clear communication about those household costs will be critical before residents vote.

She said while there is broad agreement that Maple Ridge needs more recreation infrastructure, residents deserve enough information to decide whether now is the right time.

“I think that’s really important, because it’s one thing to vote yes or no to the overall cost, but as a citizen, what does it mean to my taxes?,” Dueck said. “There’s no doubt that we need more facilities. The question really comes down to the timing.”
Dueck also supported separating the ballot questions after hearing from residents who wanted the opportunity to weigh each project individually.

She acknowledged she continues to struggle with the proposal to convert the municipal golf course into a community park, saying many residents have expressed concerns about losing an affordable course that has historical significance.

“I don’t want to pit one user group against another,” she said. “So we’re at that stage where I’m prepared to let it go forward, because we need to resolve this once and for all.”

Much of council’s discussion focused on the long-standing demand for a new aquatic facility.

Coun. Korleen Carreras said the need has been recognized for more than a decade, pointing to the city’s 2015 recreation facilities review and repeated calls from residents during the 2022 municipal election.

“For me the aquatic facility is a big piece,” she said. “Drowning is the second leading cause of childhood deaths and when kids can’t get into swim lessons, it weighs really heavy on me.”

Carreras said many Maple Ridge families currently travel to neighbouring communities for swim lessons because local programs fill almost immediately.

“I hear from families that are travelling out of our community, whether it’s swim lessons or recreation,” she said. “What they’re paying for gas to get to other communities … is likely more than $45 a month.”

She also defended the proposed location at Hammond Community Park, saying previous councils had not acquired land for a future aquatic centre and staff had concluded there was no suitable site in east Maple Ridge.

“There isn’t a lot of space — actually, there’s no space in the east that could work for an aquatic facility.”

Carreras added that potential borrowing through the Municipal Finance Authority would offer significantly lower interest rates than commercial lenders, and would only draw funds as construction progresses rather than borrowing the full amount upfront.

The city has also applied for a provincial grant worth up to 25 percent of the Hammond aquatic centre’s construction costs. Staff said any grants or sponsorships secured would reduce reliance on property taxes and Amenity Cost Charges rather than expanding the projects.

Coun. Onyeka Dozie argued delaying construction would only make the projects more expensive.

“I personally do not see any shortcut to it. You have to face it head on,” Dozie said. “Anybody who is saying, ‘This is not the right time’ — we are already late.”

Dozie said he never learned to swim growing up, stating it reinforced the importance of building a modern aquatic facility.

Ruimy said whichever way residents vote, the referendum will provide long-awaited direction on recreation planning.

“We’re not a town of 40,000 people anymore. We are 110,000,” Ruimy said.

“We’ve put together a proposal, and now it’s going to be up to the people to decide.”

If voters reject the borrowing bylaws, he said, a future council will still have to confront the community’s growing recreation needs as construction costs continue to climb.

The Recreation Ready program follows a multi-year feasibility study that included more than 5,000 survey responses, open houses and stakeholder sessions.

City reports found the existing 45-year-old Maple Ridge Leisure Centre and 28-year-old Planet Ice complex are operating at or near capacity, while demand for swimming lessons and arena time continues to exceed available space. The Hammond outdoor pool, now 63 years old, is also nearing the end of its service life.