The 29,000 square-foot, two-storey, $13-million centre is slated to be built fronting King Street next to Stoney Creek Arena.

“This will be a gateway to the community. This is an opportunity, not to make a Taj Mahal, but to give you an extraordinarily attractive, useful building that will be a generator for other development in your community,” said Rick Lintack of RF Lintack Architects in Hamilton, who is working on the project with RDH Architects Inc. in Toronto.

The City of Hamilton received funding from the federal and provincial governments through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, with each level of government contributing $4.3 million. As part of the grant requirements, the project must be substantially completed by March 31, 2011.

Preliminary plans for the project include a 4.5-lane, 25-metre pool and learning pool, change rooms, a youth program room, senior program space and a kitchen. Outdoor space might include a small soccer pitch, track or greenspace.

While area residents and community groups are happy about receiving the much-needed development, they had a lot to say regarding design.

Parents and swimming enthusiasts complained that a 4.5-lane pool is too small and also urged designers to include a large observation deck, children’s play area and abundant family change rooms.

City staff have said they would try to help the school find other options.

Sutton says, at Scout Hall, the school pays reasonable rent and is in a central location with ample parking.

"We will keep going, we're just not sure when or where," she said.

Sutton believes the school will remain in its current location until the summer, but is unsure about what will happen in September.

The new community centre is slated to be completed by the end of March 2011. The demolition of Scout Hall was recommended in a 2008 study of the city’s recreation facilities by Monteith Brown Planning Consultants.

Sutton wonders why the city is taking away buildings when the community is in such need of programming space.

Mac MacKinnon of the Battlefield Optimist Club, which is based at Scout Hall said the club is going to meet with the city in an effort to take over the facility.

The club would take over payments such as hydro and renovate the property, largely through volunteer work.

"We would run it and rent it out and keep it for the Scouts and Guides. We would bring it up to city code over two years," he said.

The Optimist Club does not pay fees to use Scout Hall, except for contributions toward building maintenance. If the facility is not saved, MacKinnon says the club would have to pay to rent a room at the new community centre.