The borough set a $15 million goal to pay for the centre, to be located at the south-west corner of NDG's Benny Park, using land now occupied by the outdoor Benny Pool. The pool, which was assessed as needing major repairs and which saw its last use this past summer, is slated to be demolished.

According to an estimate made by Borough Mayor Michael Applebaum last December, the borough has set aside a reserve of $4.3 million for the project, as well as $2 million from an infrastructure budget.

The City of Montreal deposited an additional $3 million in infrastructure funding, bringing the total to $9.3 million. Discussions with provincial officials, including four local MNAs and the Liberal sports and recreation minister, have also been underway to make up the difference with subsidies from Quebec.

"We're going to be talking about the facility, how it's going to look, how it's going to be integrated, and what's going to be in the building," Applebaum said this week about the meeting, adding that services to be offered at the centre will not be on the meeting agenda.

"We will turn the first soil in the spring. Once we're able — because you've got to realize we're going in the park so we don't want to damage it — once the conditions permit us to start, because of trucks and vehicles going into the park, we will start the construction."

Comparing the latest diagrams to earlier ones released by the borough, he added, "I can tell you it is nicer than what we were showing in the past and I believe that the community will be very happy with the architectural design, with the material construction and how it's going to look in the park where presently the outdoor swimming pool is."

Costa Fokoefs, a community activist who has long supported the idea of NDG having its own sports and recreation centre, said: "We're very much awaiting for the plans that are going to be presented. We're expecting that it's going to be what was recommended during the public consultation process.

"Even with the creation of the sports and recreation centre in NDG, the sports and recreation services that are provided to NDG fall still far short of what is required," he added. "So this sports and recreation centre will go a long way to alleviate some of the pressures on that, but it's not going to solve all the problems."

The meeting is at St. Joseph's Oratory, in the Auberge building at street level in the parking lot, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A second meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.