One of the highlights for Mayor Greg Dionne was the start of construction on a new arena and aquatics centre which is expected to be done late in 2024. (file photo/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Year in Review

Year in Review: Arena, pool construction tops 2023 highlights for P.A. Mayor

Dec 29, 2023 | 5:00 PM

As 2023 draws to a close, paNOW is taking a look back on the most important and impactful stories of the year, as selected by our reporters and editorial staff.

A lot happened in Prince Albert in 2023 but the most exciting thing for Mayor Greg Dionne was the beginning of the city’s single largest project they’ve ever built.

“The start of construction of our two rinks and the aquatic centre,” he said. “That would probably be the highlight of the year. That’s the biggest project we’ve ever done.”

The new buildings are on schedule to be done in December 2024. Most of the shell is complete, as is the pool portion, and workers are focusing on finishing the interior over the next year.

That came on the heels of the start of a large-scale expansion of the Victoria Hospital. Once a new parking lot has finished construction, a new tower will be built. The hospital will also see an increase in bed numbers from 173 to 242, a larger emergency area, and medical imaging services.

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The upgraded hospital will also have an MRI and employ another 500 healthcare workers.

A third highlight is the potential expansion of forestry operations in the city.

Much has been made of institutional and commercial development, but what about residential?

Dionne said that yes, it’s happening and will happen even more once the hospital is hiring staff.

It has been some years since new apartment complexes were built in Prince Albert but the same company that owns and operates the new Holiday Inn in The Yard (where the new pool is) is also constructing three new buildings.

Those buildings are being put up not too far from the hospital.

“Housing will not really start to take off for probably another year and a half to two years because those will be kickstarted by the new employees coming to the hospital,” said Dionne.

Despite all of those projects, there is still one more large plan that the city will be spearheading; the construction of a new arena and events centre that will host the Prince Albert Raiders and also accommodate larger-scale concerts.

The plans for that will be ready in February but in the meantime, the city is pre-qualifying bidders.

“The only thing holding us up is the funding model, which we are working on,” said Dionne. “The public can keep an eye out for fundraisers and when a new federal infrastructure program is announced, the city will be re-applying for a rink.”

Meanwhile, Prince Albert does have challenges and the single biggest issue is crime rates.

“It’s driven by homelessness, addictions, and drugs. So we’re going to continue to tackle those and see if we can come up with a solution,” Dionne said.

While the city does not have the budget or staff to address this on its own, Dionne added he can promise residents that they will be the squeaky wheel when it comes to dealing with other governments.

In 2023, city hall faced a strike involving its inside workers; the first in the City’s history.

Dionne said he still believes the strike was avoidable and that three months of striking made very little difference in the benefits or remuneration paid to those union members beyond what the city was offering all along.

Some damage has been done to the relationship between staff and management and the strikers and the public, he added.

“CUPE has really hurt their relationship with the general public. The way they acted at the EA Rawlinson Centre with the kids, the adults, and the handicapped people, people are just so upset at CUPE and the strikers for doing that.”

Next year is also a general election year for cities and towns in Saskatchewan. Dionne has already stated that he plans to run for mayor again.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com