Quebec and Ottawa confirm $14M for an indoor aquatic complex in Châteauguay 

On Friday, June 4th, the long-awaited confirmation of a $14M grant to build an indoor aquatic complex in Châteauguay by 2024 within the framework of a partnership with Beauharnois, was finally received. 

Translation Amanda Bennett

The announcement was made by the Deputy Minister of Education, Isabelle Charest, who visited the Sportplex de Châteauguay accompanied by the Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region, Simon Jolin-Barrette, the MNA representing Châteauguay, MarieChantal Chassé, and the federal MP representing Châteauguay-Lacolle, Brenda Shanahan.

Something for everyone 

 The complex will include an athletic training pool with three diving boards and ten swimming lanes, a recreational public pool, an indoor water play park and a pool for aqua fit. A gym and a community room are also part of the plans. 
“It is a complete project for our community and I have to say that its timing is perfect as this pandemic draws to an end (…). These facilities will allow people to practice their favourite sports and allow competitive athletes to train closer to home,“ said MarieChantal Chassé during the press conference. 

The total cost of the project submitted by the Régie Sports et Loisirs Beau-Château, of which the municipalities of Châteauguay and Beauharnois are members, was evaluated at $22M when the project was originally submitted. During the press conference the Régie’s Director General Joëlle Éthier mentioned that the cost would have to be reevaluated. “We know that the construction sector has gone through a period of crisis with the pandemic. We will have to work with the board members to determine whether the costs will remain the same.”

The provincial and federal governments each announced a $7M grant. The balance of the costs will be absorbed by the cities of Châteauguay and Beauharnois via the Régie on a prorata basis in accordance with their populations and property values (approximately 80% for Châteauguay and 20% for Beauharnois).

The facility will be built beside the Sportplex and will fall under the responsibility of the Régie Beau-Château which also manages the Sportplex in Châteauguay, as well as the outdoor aquatic complex in Beauharnois. These two infrastructures were both built in large part without funding, with the exception of a $500,000 federal grant in 2017.

Ms. Éthier stressed that this aquatic complex would allow a varied array of sports programs to be developed for the entire population and that the possibility of creating sports-études programs and holding competitions could also be studied.

In the works for the past 4 years, the indoor pool project was on the table in 2017 as part of phase two of the shared projects for Beauharnois and Châteauguay. Newly elected in 2017, the mayors of Châteauguay and Beauharnois had announced that the project would only move ahead if the Régie was awarded funding to foot part of the bill. The Régie shook off its first refusal from the Quebec government in September of 2018, just a few weeks prior to the provincial elections.

Pool in disrepair 

Châteauguay Mayor Pierre-Paul Routhier was thrilled by the announcement. “This time rather than just filling out the funding application forms, we conducted studies of the pools in neighbouring cities to demonstrate that our area was lagging behind. I am really pleased by today’s announcement,” he commented. The current indoor pool in Châteauguay, which is located within the Polydium, is worn out and no longer meets the population’s needs.