The LaSalle Landing Skate Trail and Water Feature is a step closer to reality.
During Tuesday's meeting, council was presented with an update regarding the feature.
Design drawings are nearly complete, and administration presented updated construction costs for the trail.
The original construction estimate was $9-million, which was approved by LaSalle council in April 2023.
The current construction costs for the Skate Trail and Water Feature, ice plant mechanical equipment and building and parking lot expansion is approximately $8.8-million, with the Skate Trail pavilion adding an extra $2.2-million to $3.1-million.
To keep working within the allocated budget, administration and council have decided to defer the design, tendering and construction of the skate trail pavilion.
Peter Marra, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Town of LaSalle, says the pavilion can be built and budgeted in the future.
"That had a warming hut, it had some washrooms in there, it also had some areas for the LaSalle Police to take up residents in that area. As part of these modifications, the washrooms are still available, we are building four washrooms as part of the other building, so there are going to be washrooms there."
He says costs have changed from the original pricetag.
"We've updated the current cost to the current construction cost. The $9-million was developed about two years ago, there's been a significant influx or inflation on construction costs. So, it is part of our challenges."
Marra says administration wanted two buildings, one for public use, and one for things such as the Zamboni.
"The main purpose for introducing two buildings was to separate the public function from the operational function. The original design it was one building which was going to have the public function and the operational function, so where the ice resurfacer, Zamboni, was going to come out was where people were going to be getting off the ice, so there was a natural conflict."
Administration is expecting to issue for a request for tender at the end of December 2023 and into January 2024.
Once the tender closes, a report will be brought back to council looking for further direction on who to award the tender to.
The Skate Trail and Water Feature is expected to be completed and open to the public by December 2024.