The City of Edmonton will spend $1.23 million to bring the lake at Hawrelak Park to the standard required to host the International Triathlon Union Grand Final next year.

Edmonton was approached to make a last minute bid for hosting the event after San Diego pulled out at the last minute last fall.

However, the man-made lake is too shallow, has a build up of sediment and a leak in the 40-year-old clay liner. It also doesn’t meet standards required by Alberta Health Services.

The newly-approved money allows these upgrades to be made, which are welcomed by Sheila O’Kelly with the Edmonton Triathlon Academy.

"The lake will get drained and all the sediment that's built up since '99 will be removed and there'll be a channel that will be 20 metres wide over the swim course that will be deepened,” she said.

O'Kelly is leaving for Madrid later on Wednesday to make the presentation to the international committee.

A city report estimated it would cost about $5 million to host the Grand Final — $2 million from Edmonton, with the rest coming from corporate sponsors and the federal and provincial governments.