The next step forward for the City of Swift Current's plan for the Integrated Leisure Facility was discussed at last night's City Council meeting.

The facility has been in the planning stages since 2009 and the City says the ground is ready to be broken on the project - however, funding is still up in the air.

City Council approved a plan last night to try and secure funding for the facility, which is planned near the Cypress Regional Hospital, École Centennial School and All Saints Catholic School.

The way the City hopes to do that is through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). City Council approved applying for the grant, which will see funds from the Provincial and Federal governments given out.

The ICIP was described as a "Government of Canada and a Government of Saskatchewan partnership for municipal organizations to build stronger communities and enhance the quality of life in Saskatchewan" in the C.A.O. report.

ICIP is accepting applications until the end of March, 2020.

The City hopes they will be able to secure 73.33 per cent of the funding needed to build the project through ICIP.

The City states that it would then be responsible for 26.7 per cent or more of the costs, as well as any extra costs due to things like cost overruns or new scope of work. Those costs would be dealt with through debt, and the upkeep and maintenance of the facility would be paid for through taxes.

An aquatic centre, field house, and atrium would all be a part of this - considered the first phase of the facility.

Estimates for the cost of the first phase of the project range between $50 - 120 million.

Any costs of the project spent already can not be covered by the grant.

City Councilor Ryan Plewis said that he believed the City should be considered highly among any other applicants due to previous investments in infrastructure.

"Other communities who don't have those [infrastructure] boxes checked are [putting out their hands] to the government asking for funding for those same projects that we have funded entirely on our own, and that's not fair to the citizens of Swift Current or the people in this region."

"We're asking for fairness that those sorts of things be considered when funding becomes available for grants, [so] that we would be considered for recreation."

Plewis says that is the message the city has conveyed to provincially and federally-elected officials to promote themselves for grant funding. He was very frank on how the community can help get the facility in the City.

"If we are going to get this facility built, it will be with grant funding, and we don't see grant funding very often, so what we need the art community to do is do what we've been doing for years," he said. "Phone whoever you can think of, and tell them the City of Swift Current needs to be accepted for this grant. If you want this facility to happen, we need you to get active in making it happen."

"We don't have to raise [73.33 per cent of] funds in tax, we don't need to raise those funds in debt, we don't need to come up with them as citizens of the City of Swift Current," added Plewis. "[It's] extremely important - the biggest project to come to Swift Current in our term on council. Please help."

Swift Current Mayor Denis Perrault said that he was asking for letters of support from the City and its residents, municipalities, the school divisions in the region, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and Swift Current MLA Everett Hindley, as well as Cypress Hills-Grasslands MP Jeremy Patzer.

"I believe sincerely that this is our chance," Perrault said.

He said that this is one of the few times recreation has been funded through the grant.

The City applied for a grant for the project in 2009 and 2015.