COUNCIL CONNECTION: Multi-Use Recreation Centre will be on budget, on time

Grand opening scheduled for early 2024, writes Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 14, 2023
Margaret Quirk

Welcome back to the Council Connection column. Watch for bimonthly updates from myself and members of council, touching on a variety of topics.

I am happy to kick off 2023 with an update on the Multi-Use Recreation Centre (MURC).

On Feb. 1, council received an update on the MURC project. The building frame is up, the gym roof is complete and both mechanical and electrical work is progressing well. The project is more than half-completed -- on time and on budget.

The current schedule has the building being turned over to Georgina by the end of 2023 for the final finishing process, with a grand opening in early 2024.

The MURC includes a six-lane 25-metre pool, a therapy pool, double gymnasium, indoor walking track, multi-use meeting and activity rooms, active living space and a discovery service library branch.

The operating costs for the MURC will be funded through assessment growth, which is the new property tax collected from new development. As a result, there will be no tax levy increase related to the MURC operating costs. This helps to ensure the operation of this facility is covered by growth and not a general tax increase.

Recent changes in the Development Charges Act will impact the town’s ability to recover the full costs of the project. It is frustrating that these changes have arrived during the middle of the MURC’s construction.

All municipalities continue to push the province to ensure that costs for development projects are not placed on current residents.

To learn more about the MURC, visit georgina.ca/MURC. You can also watch the progress by viewing the on-site camera.