Mitchelson pool future remains uncertain
North-end facility requires significant and costly repairs
The long-term future of E.E. Mitchelson pool should be clearer in May.
That’s when Niagara Falls staff is expected to present details of an engineer’s report to city council, as well as various options for the north-end pool that requires urgent repairs.
“We did complete the tours (of the city’s five outdoor pools) with council members,” said Kathy Moldenhauer, general manager of recreation, culture and facilities.
“During our tours, the council had some items they wanted staff to follow up on, just about pricing of different ideas, such as what would it cost for a new outdoor pool. We’re looking into costing for everything, and we hope to bring a report back to council in May.”
Significant repairs are needed to maintain Mitchelson, a 49-year-old pool on Springdale Avenue behind Saint Paul High School, to minimal requirements and to address lifecycle replacement of various components.
A previous staff report pegged repair costs at more than $830,000.
Funding is needed for several emergency repairs, such as to cracks, pumps, pipes and pool deck, along with associated building and property repairs, including roof and shower replacement and parking lot pavement, which Moldenhauer said could total $1 million if accessibility improvements are factored in.
Because repair costs were not included in this year’s capital budget, the pool will likely remain closed for another year.
“We also don’t have any money to demolish it and council hasn’t officially made that decision yet, so with the report that comes back to council in May, staff will have a recommendation for council to consider,” said Moldenhauer.
Council did include $100,000 in the budget for repairs needed at the city’s other outdoor pools — Niagara Falls Lions, F.H. Leslie, Prince Charles, Buck Hinsperger — meaning they will open for July and August.
In November, council balked at staff’s recommendation to decommission and demolish Mitchelson to avoid the more than $830,000 in immediate repairs.
Staff said the approximate cost to decommission and demolish the pool is $100,000 and that if politicians approved staff’s recommendation, the municipality would work with area residents to determine another investment in the park.
During a Nov. 14 meeting, councillors repeated comments made by several residents, saying the pool is important to those living in the area and questioned some of what they felt were excessively high repair costs.
A final decision on what to do with the facility was not made, but council decided it wanted to tour the pools, proceed with a more in-depth engineering study, review a more comprehensive list of repair needs and investigate the possibility of corporate sponsorship and naming rights to help cover costs.
In an interview this week, Moldenhauer said even with Mitchelson closed, the city is “definitely well served” with its pool inventory.
“For a community this size to have four outdoor pools is higher than St. Catharines, for example,” she said.
Moldenhauer said people also visit the city’s indoor pool at MacBain Community Centre in the summer for swim lessons because the water is warmer.
Moldenhauer said it can be challenging to balance affordability and service-demand expectations.
For example, council directed chief administrative officer Jason Burgess and all municipal departments to find $1 million in savings, citing concerns they’ve heard from residents in recent years about tax hikes.
“If you gave me $1 million and said, ‘OK, this $1 million can go to maintaining MacBain or you could have a brand-new outdoor pool,’ I will recommend MacBain because we can use MacBain year-round, where with the outdoor pool, it’s only open for two months during the summer,” said Moldenhauer.