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September 18, 2015 - 4:30 PM
KAMLOOPS - The good news is the funds have been made available to fix the Westsyde Pool, the bad news is the pool still won’t be open until September 2016.
The funding for this project — just under $3 million — was transferred from the Canada Games Pool repair budget. The funds were transferred because waiting for approval in the city's 2016 budget would put pool repairs behind schedule.
Mayor Peter Milobar addressed concerns voiced on social media that the city planned to close the Westsyde Pool indefinitely. By switching funding from one project to another he hoped to show residents the city’s commitment to promptly fixing the pool.
By flipping projects the city hopes to finish repairs relatively on time. When asked if the project would definitely be finished by September, Parks Director Byron McCorkell said with renovations you can never be sure. However, with the new funding in place the project serves a much better chance of being finished in that timeframe.
The city found a leak in the pool’s roof in January 2015 prompting an emergency repair. The pool was closed and re-opened once the repair was completed but city engineers realized the roof needed extensive repairs. There was excessive moisture in the building and the renovations were expected to cost between $1.6 and $2.4 million, including design and consulting fees.
Closing the pool until September of 2016 did not sit well with all Westsyders. Area resident Amanda Cosgrove started a petition in an effort to lobby the city to not only reconsider closing the Westsyde Pool, but build a bigger, better facility.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015