South Bowmanville Recreation Centre

Bowmanville Indoor Soccer

Clarington is moving forward with work on the South Bowmanville Recreation Centre. At a special meeting on October 2, 2023, Clarington Council voted to spend $65 million to develop, design and construct the first phase of the new facility.

Features

The South Bowmanville Recreation Centre will include a gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms for registered and drop-in programs; a sports dome and indoor walking track; and an outdoor skating rink. The building footprint will be able to accommodate future expansion. Findings from Clarington’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan – which will be finalized in 2024 – will inform the need for other amenities, such as indoor ice rinks, an aquatic centre, or other facilities.

Location

The centralized location at Clarington Fields, 2375 Baseline Road, was identified as the best accessible area for the new recreation centre.

Clarington staff will endeavour to ensure baseball and football amenities at Clarington Fields will remain accessible throughout the project. Clarington staff are working on a plan to relocate user permits for the soccer fields, which were constructed for temporary use until the facility was developed.

Questions and Answers

What is the project schedule?

Given the immediate need for additional recreation and programming space in Clarington, staff will work with a contractor to expedite the project. More details will be shared once they are available.

What sports will the dome be able to accommodate?

The dome will be constructed to accommodate a variety of sports, including but not limited to soccer, football, cricket, ultimate frisbee and golf programs.

How would the outdoor ice rink space be used in the non-winter months?

The concrete surface of the outdoor skating rink will be designed for year-round use and serve as a “civic square” to the facility. The potential uses could include outdoor pickleball courts; outdoor community event space; or a public market area.

Why were the indoor ice pads and aquatic centre (swimming pool) removed from the facility plan?

In Clarington’s 2022 budget, there was $65 million earmarked to expand the Bowmanville indoor soccer facility into a state-of-the-art recreation facility, including a twin pad ice rink and aquatic centre. However, construction cost increases led to a new cost estimate of $134 million, and the plan for the new recreation facility was paused in March of 2023.

In October 2023, Clarington Council voted to move forward with the initial construction of a gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms for registered and drop-in programs; a sports dome and indoor walking track; and an outdoor skating rink. When the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan is finalized in 2024, Council will use the results to consider additional amenities on the site, including but not limited to indoor ice rinks and/or an aquatic centre.

What is the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan?

Clarington is one of the fastest-growing areas in the Greater Toronto Area and is expected to grow to 221,000 residents by 2051. The Parks, Recreation, and Culture Master Plan will help make sure we’re planning for complete communities that provide a great quality of life. It will help Clarington understand the complete picture of current resources and recommend how best to build on them to create a thriving system of parks, recreation and culture, programming, services, and facilities.

Through community consultation and data analysis, the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan will inform the need for additional amenities, such as indoor ice rinks, an aquatic centre, or other facilities both at this site and across Clarington.

What is the need for additional ice rinks and swimming pools in Clarington?

As Clarington’s population continues to grow, access to recreational facilities will support a great quality of life for residents.

The Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan will provide data about need and future growth to help inform future amenities. As of October 2023, initial research is underway to develop the plan. Community engagement opportunities will take place this fall.