Heather Wright/The Independent

A Grand Bend man is crying foul after Lambton Shores revealed its plan for a $20 million recreation centre.

The municipality is considering a 35,000 square foot, two level multi-use complex at 18 Municipal Drive – Lions Park. It’s hoped Lambton County would move the library currently at the local public school to the facility to be the ‘anchor tenant’ using about 5,000 square feet of space.

Andrew Meyer, general manager of cultural services in Lambton, says because of the growth in Grand Bend, the public school needs the extra space now occupied by the library. And he told Lambton Shores council Dec. 17, it would provide more traffic to the facility.

“We’ve been able to serve the school community exceptionally well. There are some limitations to being within a school, whereas within a public building like a community center, we certainly benefit from the traffic and potentially draw new audiences to the library services that are being offered.”

The plan calls for a large multi-purpose space which could seat 400 people at a banquet but also double as a place for sports, like pickleball. The plan also calls for a 100-meter walking track elevated around the room. Aside from extra meeting rooms, the plan calls for the ability to divide the multi-purpose room into three parts to rent out for sports, showers or private events.

There is also an outdoor kitchen for events and 177 parking spaces. But it all sits on an area currently home to a ball diamond.

Larry Whiting led a group of volunteers who raised money to refurbish it 11 years ago as a memorial to his son who died by suicide.

“When I heard they were putting the community centre where the baseball diamond is, it was like getting stabbed to the heart,” he said, adding he felt bad for all the businesses and community members who donated to the project in the past.

Whiting says he and a volunteer board “fought the town to keep the baseball diamond. With numerous locals help we succeeded and raised money to fix up the baseball diamond with back fencing, new clay and new playground equipment, only costing the town $35,000.”

In a report to council, staff says the property was chosen because it is already owned by Lambton Shores, wouldn’t have to be rezoned and is in walking distance for Grand Bend residents.

Whiting suggests the municipality purchase land on Highway 81 instead of using the Lions Park.

During the meeting Councillor Glen Baillie acknowledge the concerns about using the ball diamond land. And he asked staff to reach out to the people behind the ball diamond project. “I’d like to have people that have been long term residents of the area understand that we’re not just going to sweep away anything that they’ve done fundraising for. We need to do some outreach for that group to keep them involved in the community for another generation or two or three,” Baillie said.

Council has applied for funding for the project from Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund but its not clear when the province will hand out the cash. Council has said the complex won’t go forward without funding from the upper levels of government.

Until then, the municipality has started an online consultation on the project to get community feedback on the proposed concept and design.