City officials say the ball is rolling on the new sports complex at Confederation Beach Park.

Landscape architectural services supervisor Lawrence Stasiuk said the first phase of construction is underway for the project.

"The tender was awarded to Orin Contractors Corporation for $3,996,806 on April 18," he said, adding construction and other fencing are in place and digging work is expected to begin this week.

The city is building the sports facility at the east end of the park on the former campground site.

The first stage includes the development of a regulation-sized cricket field, a multi-purpose field, 12 pickleball courts, a driveway, half of a planned parking lot and site servicing.

Stasiuk said he doesn't know the contractor's schedule, but generally first steps would involve the setting up of surveying stakes, stripping of top soil and site servicing before the roughing in of the fields, courts and rest of the work.

The construction will not affect public use of the trails along the waterfront or lead to any lane closures in the area, but it could result in slower than usual traffic on the North Service Road, he said.

"The scheduled completion date is Nov. 30, 2019," Stasiuk said. "If we find that weather conditions didn't allow for some finish work, we will defer some work until the spring time. We're probably looking at these facilities being built and ready for use by the end of May 2020."

Stasiuk said the hope is to see the second phase of construction get off the ground next year.

It includes the development of a new field house and parks maintenance building and yard, as well as the renovation of an existing gatehouse, he said.

Stasiuk said it also involves the development of a natural-themed play area, the rest of the slotted parking lot and additional trails and walkways.

"Everything is all dependent on city council approving funding," he said. "It is our desire to move forward with building the field house and possibly the parks maintenance building next year - those are big ticket items. We will be putting in - through our facilities section - a request for funding for that, for consideration in the 2020 capital budget."

The sports complex is part of a long-term, more than $40-million master plan to enhance the underutilized 93-hectare beachfront land.

The hope is to eventually include a central commercial village, improved trails and boardwalks, more trees, public art and other infrastructure improvements.

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Stasiuk said the sports facility has been a long time in the making.

"We've had to go through the whole design process and then the subsequent approvals before we could actually put a shovel in the ground," he said. "Everybody has been quite anxious for this. Everyone is very happy to see it finally coming to fruition."