Caution | Mandatory Outdoor Water Restrictions

Due to continued dry conditions, mandatory Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions are in place until further notice.

Visit Calgary.ca/restrictions for more information.

MNP Sport and Community Centre

Leisure Expansion Aquatics Project (LEAP) at MNP Community & Sport Centre

We are investing $45 million in aquatic leisure amenities at the MNP Community and Sport Centre (formerly Repsol Sport Centre) located at 2225 Macleod Trail S.E. This facility will undergo an expansion, modernization, and upgrade to provide a wider range of recreation programs and services to meet the needs of the greater downtown area, surrounding communities, and all Calgarians. This project is being led by the Lindsay Park Sport Society (LPSS) with support from The City of Calgary. 

Background

MNP Community and Sport Centre is located at the gateway to Calgary’s downtown. It’s a vibrant community hub and a centre for sport excellence.

City of Calgary research conducted between 2019 and 2021 identified a clear gap in enhanced aquatic amenities (like waterslides, lazy rivers and wave pools) in the downtown area. These amenities exist in facilities serving Calgary’s suburbs, but there are none in close proximity to the core communities.

The MNP Community and Sport Centre is a multi-purpose aquatic and fitness hub serving both competitive sport and the recreation needs of the surrounding communities, the greater downtown area, and all Calgarians.

This project to add new public aquatic amenities to MNP Community and Sport Centre is called the Leisure Expansion Aquatics Project (LEAP). When complete, The City of Calgary will have a new, modern aquatic space with community amenities contributing to the revitalization of Calgary’s downtown.

In parallel with LEAP, the Lindsay Park Sport Society and the Province of Alberta are investing in the modernization of training and competition amenities to ensure compliance with current Fédération Internationale De Natation Fina (FINA) standards and re-establish MNP as a centre of excellence in Canada.

Design

The scope of the LEAP Project focuses on:

  • Enhanced leisure aquatic amenities to be defined through engagement with stakeholders. These may include:
    • An accessible leisure wave pool
    • A lazy river
    • Indoor & outdoor splash pads
    • A whirlpool / hot tub
    • A teach pool
  • Supporting amenities such as universal change rooms, lobby area, etc.

Benefit

This project will add enhanced aquatic recreation amenities to provide a modern recreation experience for surrounding communities, the greater downtown area, and all Calgarians.

Impact

Capital investment in the LEAP project and the additional investment being made to moderinze the comepetition amenities will generate 379 full-time jobs and contribute $53.5 million to the GDP (based on Infrastructure Calgary’s economic impact assessment model).

Budget

Funding provided for this project totals $50 million from the following sources:

  • $45 million from The City of Calgary, approved by Calgary City Council in May 2021 (CPS2021-0748).
  • $5 million from the Lindsay Park Sport Society.

Timeline

  • 2021, A city-wide pool study and needs assessment for aquatic amenities in the Greater Downtown Area is conducted. The analysis identified a lack of aquatic facilities with specialized leisure aquatic amenities available in the city centre.
  • 2021, The MNP Community & Sport Centre Feasibility Study is completed. The study evaluated expansion options at the Sport Centre to accommodate enhanced aquatic leisure amenities and proposed an expansion on the west side of the facility.
  • May 2021, Calgary City Council approved $45M (CPS2021-0748) for the modernization and upgrade of MNP to address the need in the city centre for specialized leisure aquatic amenities.
  • 2023, Construction is expected to begin.
  • 2024, Construction is expected to be completed.

This information has no legal status and cannot be used as an official interpretation of the various bylaws, codes and regulations currently in effect. The City of Calgary accepts no responsibility to persons relying solely on this information. Web pages are updated periodically. ​