EDMONTON -- A community rec centre and elite training facility capable of hosting international cycling and triathalon events will cost about 40 per cent more than was originally estimated, Edmonton city council heard Monday. 

According to a report delivered by administration, costs of building the Coronation Community Recreation Centre have risen from $112 million -- a budget approved in 2018 -- to $158 million. 

Ward 2's councillor, Bev Esslinger, called the ballooned price disappointing and shocking. 

"We kind of thought we had put this down and it was going ahead finally after a long hiatus."

The council is now tasked with deciding to either scale back the project to keep costs in line, or continue and incur the extra expense. 

The first scenario would see the facility built with fewer features, rendering it unable to host any of the international training and competitive events Edmonton's cycling and triathalon communities have envisioned -- also jeopardizing the $4-million commitment those groups have made to the project. 

The second scenario asks council to find $46 million to cover the costs of inflation and updated design expenses -- either through debt financing, savings, a reorganizing of Edmonton's capital plan, or other community and government partnerships. 

'SHORT-TERM COST STAVINGS WOULD COME AT THE COST OF THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS': GROUPS ADVOCATE 

In the first scenario, the Coronation centre would end up being home to a 250-metre cycling track, and two gyms, a fitness centre, studio, and childcare spaces. 

However, if council were to choose this, the project would return to the community and stakeholder feedback stage, also extending its timeline. 

In Scenario 2, the facility would boast all the same features, plus a professional grade cycling track, 750 audience seats, an indoor running track, outdoor tennis courts, and a direct access to Peter Hemingway Pool. 

"It’s a one-of-a-kind facility. A facility like this does not exist anywhere in the Americas, and arguably in the world," Stephen Boudreau, with ITU World Triathlon Edmonton, told councillors Monday morning. 

"And with that would come a lot of attention and attraction to the sport triathlon and to the area and the region.”

He noted Edmonton's hosting of international triathalon events in Hawrelak Park over the years has netted between $35 million and $40 million in economic impact. 

But councillors questioned how the project's expenses grew so much.

City staff told them that the Coronation project started before Edmonton began using a new approval process, which tied funding to development stages for big capital projects like the recently postponed Lewis Farms site. 

According to administration working on the file, starting construction earlier would have seen the city save some money on inflation -- but the budget would have likely been overrun.

"Based on the information we had at checkpoint two, I don’t think we would have been able to deliver a project including all the things, all the program attributes that are include under Scenario 2. We probably would’ve had a project for $130 or $140 (million), but certainly, it wouldn’t have been delivered for $112 (million),” councillors were told. 

Administration estimated about $25 million, or about half of the cost difference between the two options, could be attributed to making the facility capable of hosting. 

The Argyll Velodrome Association, together with the triathalon group, has committed $4 million to Scenario 2. 

The association's David Embury told council its existing facility, built for the 1978 Commonwealth Games, is beyond its life cycle. 

"The big picture is it’s the opportunity to (host) but it's all about the development 365 (days) in a facility indoor," Embury told council, referencing a school program in which some 10,000 students participated. "Carry it through where we can put so many more activities in place that will start in September and carry through until the end of the year."

"The short-term cost savings would come at the cost of the long-term benefits and opportunities that could be there around international event hosting and that top high performance calibre," his colleague Boudreau added. 

"Our campaign is based around developing an indoor track on centre, and without... seeing that vision come to light, there’s no guarantee that that support will be there from the community.”

'CHALLENGING DECISIONS AHEAD': COUNCILLOR 

Council decided to have administration finish a report for the fall more thoroughly examining the options under Scenario 2. 

Edmonton's 2020 budget already faces a $70-million deficit because of the pandemic. 

"We're in a financially challenging time, so we are going to be making challenging decisions," Esslinger commented. 

"My hope is as we go forward, we work with the partners, we work with the design, to see if we can reduce the overall cost and then hopefully we can see if we can get creative in some of our funding challenges -- because I think the importance of this facility is that it balanced the eeds of the community and our partner needs." 

Coronation District Park was first chosen as a site for a rec centre in 2007. 

In 2014, city council approved $112 million in funding for the project in the 2015-18 capital budget before it was put on hold. 

A construction manager was hired this year to help deal with the growing costs. 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson