City taps playground fund to pay for clubhouse

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This article was published 25/06/2025 (253 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Brandon is replacing only one children’s playground in each of the next two years — instead of the normal two per year — in order to build a new clubhouse at the Maple Leaf Foods Sports Complex.

Council voted unanimously on Monday to use $550,000 from the parks reserve to help fund the $3.8-million clubhouse project.

The clubhouse is part of the new sports complex at the corner of First Street North and Veterans Way, which is set to open next month.

“This is kind of unexpected,” Coun. Greg Hildebrand (Ward 5) said at the council meeting.

Hildebrand asked if there was a way that the money could come from somewhere other than playgrounds.

“With the clubhouse project, that is a priority project, so we’re looking at ways to free up some of our capital and reserve money to move that project forward,” said Perry Roque, the city’s director of parks and recreation services.

When asked by Coun. Barry Cullen (Ward 3) which parks will be affected, Roque said he couldn’t say.

Cullen said residents in his ward have been inquiring about the replacement of the Wilnor Playground, and that it was originally planned to be replaced this year.

“That playground is planned to have it upgraded this year,” Roque said.

Roque said something had to give for the clubhouse to be built.

“We had to adjust something, so playgrounds was one of the things we looked at,” he said.

Coun. Shawn Berry (Ward 7) asked why the project couldn’t just be moved back a year so things could be rebudgeted.

“That was a factor that … we considered,” said Roque. “If we delay it another year, we’re only going to see more increases (in costs).”

Coun. Heather Karrouze (Ward 1) also said that reducing the size or amenities of the clubhouse is not possible.

She said funding from other levels of government the city received for the entire project, including the soccer fields, had certain specifications attached to it.

The project received $6.6 million from the provincial government, with the federal government contributing another $3.9 million.

“We want to make sure that what we build today will meet our needs 15, 20 years down the road,” Roque added.

Construction on the clubhouse could start “in the next few weeks,” according to Kyle Winters, the city’s director of engineering. He told council that work should be completed for use for the start of the 2026 season.

The clubhouse will have 5,500 square feet of space, feature four change rooms, a canteen, washrooms and storage, office and multi-purpose space.

The total project cost for the entire complex is now pegged at $19.6 million, up from $16.6 million in May 2024.

In an interview with the Sun last month, acting director of sports and recreation services Heather Reimer said the soccer and cricket pitches are set to open next month.

The biggest field is FIFA-regulation sized, and will have lighting.

A grand opening for the facility is planned for the spring.

» alambert@brandonsun.com