(BRENDAN KERGIN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - Councillors have decided to turn to the communities of north Kamloops before deciding on the future of Westsyde pool.

Depending on how those consultations go, the City of Kamloops will look at a $100,000 study to flesh out the idea of a leisure pool on the North Shore, in particular McArthur Island.

Parks director Byron McCorkell says they'll look at all options for services in the area.

“We’re going to talk to Westsyde about the pool and the use of the gym. We’re going to talk to Brock about the potential change from an outdoor pool to a rink and about McDonald water park, and then we’re going to talk to the community about a leisure pool,” he told councillors at their regular meeting today, Feb. 2.

Councillors received a report with four options for repairing the Westsyde pool today, but McCorkell recommended they choose community consultation as a fifth option. With repair costs higher than earlier estimated and deteriorating recreation facilities in other parts of north Kamloops, city administration said they’re looking for more efficient ways to run the facilities.

Councillors agreed that while they didn’t want to ignore citizens in Westsyde, the costs associated with roof repairs were too high.

“I’m really concerned that whatever we do, we do it right and at the least cost possible,” Coun. Marg Spina says. “We have an aging demographic. They’re saying we’re being taxed out of our houses.”

Coun. Ken Christian pointed out that for every million dollars spent on a project like this, taxpayers could see another percentage increase in taxes, but was concerned about the lower usage numbers at the pool.

“I looked at the petition and at the comments,” Christian says. “There were a lot people who had fond memories, but the utilization of that pool has fallen off.”

Coun. Spina pointed out that more than half of Kamloops’s population live north of the river and the best recreation facility in the city is the Tournament Capital Centre in Sahali. Concerns about time were brough forth as well. McCorkell says the consultation period should take eight to 10 weeks. Council will then decide to go forward with the study or another option.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin at bkergin@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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