July 5, 2010 - The City of Ottawa Planning and Environment Committee today approved the motion to change the Development Charges By-Law to allow for the planning and construction of multiplex recreation complexes when 50% of the required development charges are collected from new home sales.  The By-Law current states that large scale recreation complexes will be developed once the full cost will be fully funded by the Development Charges collected.

The motion now moves before Council and if approved, the first multiplex to benefit from this change in the By-Law will be in Barrhaven South near Cedarview and Hwy 416.  A recreation complex in Riverside South will be next, and the change in the By-Law will see planning for the facility commence potentially within the next year or two and construction commencing within the next five years. The complex will be located in a new District Park located on Spratt Road just east of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School.

Under the proposed change, the outstanding capital costs would be covered through debt which would be financed through the continued collection of development charges during the construction of the complex and the initial years of the facility's operation.

Article by Scott Hodge, RSCA Vice President

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