FAQs

The project will include:  

• new multi-purpose and meeting rooms
• a community kitchen
• improved viewing area for the swimming pool
• administrative space and shared program space for the St. James Assiniboia 55+ Centre
• improvements to the auditorium, building entry, and washrooms
• improvements to the parking lot

In July 2021, the Government of Canada, Province of Manitoba, and City of Winnipeg announced $14 million in funding for the St. James Civic Centre Expansion project. 

The current timeline is for project planning, design, and public engagement to take place until mid-2023 with construction starting in late 2023, with completion anticipated in summer 2025.

Critical building code, mechanical, electrical, structural and accessibility upgrades, which began in 2020, were recently completed. 

These were necessary upgrades that needed to occur to ensure the facility could remain open for years to come, independent of a facility expansion. The St. James Civic Centre Expansion project was contemplated and funded after work started; however, the recent upgrades will accommodate the facility’s expansion.

Recent upgrades to the facility included new mechanical and electrical systems, two new roofs, and a repaired concrete arena slab. The second floor was repurposed into a new mechanical and electrical room, and a new material lift was added to provide better access to storage areas in the basement. A fire suppression system was also installed throughout the facility. 

The project also addressed accessibility requirements, per the City’s Accessibility Design Standards and the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. The lobby area was refreshed with a new accessible arena entrance, new accessible washrooms, and a new universal toilet room.

It is anticipated that a partial or full closure of St. James Civic Centre will be required for some of the construction period. Efforts will be made to minimize any closure duration and provide access to parts of the facility where safe and feasible.