Vernon Active Living Centre targets Oct. 30 substantial completion, City says project remains within budget
The Vernon Active Living Centre construction site as shown by the project’s construction camera.
Photo credit: City of Vernon / Vernon Active Living Centre
VERNON — The City of Vernon says the Active Living Centre remains within its approved budget and is targeting Oct. 30 for substantial completion, with a six-week operational-readiness period expected before the facility opens to the public.
The Oct. 30 target is a construction milestone rather than an opening date. Vernon has not announced a firm date for public use, and its latest update continues to place the opening in late 2026.
Council approved a maximum project cost of $135,941,009 in April 2024.
The City’s Sept. 28 council update says the project remains within budget, but the public summary does not state the latest amount spent or committed or identify a remaining contingency balance.
Construction has moved into its final stages. Work still underway includes filling and testing the pools, completing waterslide and spray features, installing flooring and finishing gym areas, along with landscaping and building commissioning.
Aquatic systems testing is a key part of the remaining schedule. The City said earlier in September that testing and commissioning of the mechanical, filtration and air-handling systems are on the project’s critical path. Interior Health inspection and approval are also required before the facility can operate, including issuance of the required operating permit.
Once substantial completion is reached, the City expects to move through a six-week operational-readiness period that includes equipment installation, staff training and facility testing.
The City’s Sept. 28 summary does not define the contractual threshold it is using for substantial completion or specify what work could remain after that milestone. It does make clear that substantial completion will be followed by further preparation before public access begins.
Two commercial tenants are also preparing to move into the building. ODYNN Performance Therapy and Ratio Coffee & Pastry are expected to take possession of their spaces Nov. 1, following the substantial-completion target.
Council previously approved a five-year lease for ODYNN covering about 1,600 square feet at 3501 43rd Ave., with three five-year renewal options. The Nov. 1 tenant possession date falls within the broader transition toward operations and does not establish the opening date for the recreation facility.
The Active Living Centre is now in the commissioning and handover phase after more than two years of construction. The next major test of the schedule will be whether the project reaches substantial completion by Oct. 30 and moves into the planned operational-readiness period without changes to the City’s late-2026 opening window.
Property owners and their designated representatives can enter specific Bald Range wildfire-affected properties under a Prohibit Entry Order, while general visiting and occupancy remain prohibited as post-fire hazards and recovery work continue.