The North Peace Leisure Pool has served our community for nearly three decades, but it’s aging and reaching the end of its life.

The City of Fort St. John is building on years of public input and foundational studies to move forward with renewed focus and a shared goal of creating a modern, functional, and inclusive aquatics facility that serves our community now and well into the future.

Over the next several months, the Aquatic Facility Working Group will refine the design, attribute overall project cost, and explore a governance framework. Stay tuned to Let’s Talk for ongoing and updated information.

Aquatic Facility Working Group

Since 2018, the City of Fort St. John, the Peace River Regional District, and the District of Taylor have worked together to explore options for a new facility that better meets the needs of residents today and into the future. The North Peace Leisure Facility Replacement Steering Committee, which was led by the Peace River Regional District, was dissolved in July 2025 when the City of Fort St. John took over responsibility for the project. The City of Fort St. John Aquatic Facility Working Group was established in August 2025 to lead the development of a plan to replace the North Peace Leisure Pool. The Working Group includes City of Fort St. John staff, Council members, representatives from XJ Evergreen Estates Corp., and technical and project consultants.

High-Level Design and Cost Estimates Presented to Council (March 2026)

At the March 23 Committee of the Whole Meeting, City staff provided Council with an update on the proposed aquatics facility and fieldhouse. The information included an early design concept, updated cost estimates, funding strategy, and next steps for the project. At this early stage of the project, the concepts and estimates only provide a general idea of what the facility might look like, and funding options that the City will continue to explore.

The following information is a summary of what was presented to Council. Please note that all design and cost information is preliminary and will continue to evolve.

Concept Design

The City’s concept was designed to meet the community’s recreation needs while being fiscally responsible. The proposed features include:

• 8-lane, 25-metre pool with diving boards
• 3-lane, 25-metre warm water pool
• Leisure pool with lazy river and swim lesson space
• Waterslide, hot pool, sauna, and steam rooms
• Splash pad and family-friendly amenities
• Multi-purpose and program rooms
• Spectator seating and viewing areas
• Café and gathering spaces
• Indoor fieldhouse with a full-sized artificial turf field

If funding allows, additional amenities may include a drop slide, a ninja-style obstacle course, an aquatics climbing wall, and a cold plunge.

Estimated Capital Cost

The current estimated cost for Phase 1 of the project is $185 million. This includes a 20% construction contingency and is based on early-stage estimates (Class D). The estimate includes all items identified on the concept design.

Capital Funding Scenarios

The City is exploring a range of funding sources to reduce the impact on taxpayers. We have listed three realistic scenarios that show different levels of City borrowing between $60 million and $90 million.

Important: The scenarios are not final options and are only meant to illustrate the different levels of borrowing that would be needed, based on how much regional and senior government funding the City can secure.

Based on current scenarios, the estimated impact to residential property taxes is approximately $18 to $27 per month.

Estimated Operating Costs

The City has estimated operating costs for a new facility (as proposed) and compared it to the projected operating costs of the North Peace Leisure Pool in 2030.

The projected 2030 operating cost for the current North Peace Leisure Pool is $5.5 million. The estimated cost to operate the proposed Aquatics Facility & Fieldhouse is $7.3 million. This represents a 31% increase in expenses for the new facility.

Between the projected revenue and estimated expenses, there is a $4.1 million operating funding gap.

We are currently exploring several options to address this gap:

• sponsorship and advertising
• modest user fee increases
• partnerships with the Peace River Regional District for continued regional aquatic support

Thank you to everyone who participated in the latest engagement round in early 2026 regarding the proposed new aquatics facility. Through survey responses, a voting tool, and a range of in-person opportunities, the City received over 1,500 engagement touchpoints about the proposed facility concept. This feedback has been summarized into a “What We Heard Report," which you are invited to read and review in full.

A few highlights of what we learned:

• In-person feedback included concern about the cost and property tax impacts, a desire for a 50-metre lap pool, and questions about the construction timelines.
• Additional aquatic features that received the most public support were the NINJACROSS obstacle course, a rock climbing wall, and a second water slide.
• There was strong interest in the indoor court facilities proposed in Phase 2 of the project. There was a desire for a flexible, multi-purpose space that could accommodate a wide range of activities.
• Other fun facts:
  • 76% of respondents believe it’s important to build a new gymnasium.
  • 81% of respondents believe it's important that the facility can host tournaments or large events.
  • According to survey participants, the most important priorities for a new gym should be youth development, multiple courts, flexible use space, and adult recreation.
  • The highest-rated sports or activities from survey participants included volleyball (52%), basketball (52%), yoga (52%), and pickleball (49%).

The What We Learned Report was presented at the February 23 Regular Council Meeting and will help guide decision-making and the creation of a more detailed design for the facility.