City wants feedback on multimillion-dollar pool plan
City looking at three scenarios for aquatics future, including new builds
Should St. Catharines dive into building a second indoor aquatics facility, keep or close its outdoor pools, add new splash pads or leave things be?
It’s the $11-million to $31-million question.
The city is asking residents to provide feedback on its draft aquatic facilities strategy at its online open house at engagestc.ca/ Aquatics strategy until Feb. 23
“We are encouraging everyone to have their voice heard and go to the engagestc platform and participate in the open house,” said Lori Mambella, manager of programs and culture services.
“We’re looking forward to moving forward strategy as soon as possible.”
The draft strategy looks at what the city’s needs will be over the next 10 years for indoor pools, outdoor pools and splash pads. It’s believed there will be an increased demand for aquatic facilities in the next decade, as the city is projected to grow by 13,000 residents.
The draft looks at three possible strategies — balanced, refocussed and
status quo — that involve various combinations of pools and splash pads.
But whatever aquatics future is chosen, it’s going to cost money — even if nothing is built.
“Regardless of which option or a hybrid combination of options that council wants to consider, there is going to be some capital investment required,” Mambella said.
“Many of our current outdoor pools are near end of life. Both from a structural and a mechanical perspective, there would need to be an investment to bring them up to accessibility standards.”
The city has one indoor aquatics facility, St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre on Carlton Street, and three outdoor pools, at Lincoln Park on Chetwood Street, Port Dalhousie on Main Street and Lion Dunc Schooley on Seymour Avenue.
It also has four splash pads, at Bogart Street Park, Catherine Street Park, Lester B. Pearson Park and West Park.
The “balanced” strategy involves building an indoor aquatic facility and redeveloping the current Lion Dunc Schooley outdoor pool in Merritton.
The city’s other two outdoor pools would close. Three additional splash pads would be built.
The end result would be a city complement of two indoor aquatics facilities, one outdoor pool and seven splash pads at a cost of $25 million to $31 million.
The “refocussed” strategy would see the city build a new indoor aquatic facility, close all three outdoor pools and build three more splash pads. That would result in having two indoor aquatics facilities, no outdoor pools and seven splash pads. That cost would be $19 million to $22 million.
The “status quo” strategy involves keeping the current inventory. The city would redevelop all three outdoor pools which are more than 40 years old and bring them up to accessibility standards. The cost is estimated at $11 million to $16 million.
Mambella said the city has received some comments and questions since the online open house launched Tuesday.
She said the city will include all comments and concerns in a report that will go to city council later this year, as early as the spring.