Should the local swimming pool be replaced? That is the $30-million dollar question the Town of Bonnyville will have to address in the near future, with the state of the local pool continually declining.
“We are keeping it going. It is beyond its technical lifespan,” said Mark Power, CAO for the Town. “We continue to spend modernization dollars on it. We spent $30,000 last year on the lights and the windows and a couple of years ago we cleaned out a whole bunch of moldy areas.”
The Town caught a break back in 2011 when the facility's basement was flooded, causing damage to the pumps that circulate the pool, the electronic systems that control the chlorine in the pool, the hot water tank, and the domestic water pumps.
“That is the only time a flood has been a good thing,” said Power. “We got an upgrade because all of the equipment flooded out was replaced with insurance money.”
The flood caused the pool to be shut down from Sept. to mid-December while the damages were repaired; a move that helped the Town save some money.
“That year the pool has been open the least amount of time,” said Power. “That is the year we lost the least amount of money.”
As with most recreational facilities the pool costs the Town money to operate and keep open for the public. The goal, according to Mayor Gene Sobolewski, is to attempt to mitigate losses, while running a facility that the community uses.
“You don't want to be running a service that people just don't want anymore. You want to cater to the needs,” said Sobolewski.
“The amount of use that we have seen from 10 years ago until now has reduced. There are a number of people that still rely on the service but it is going to come down to cost. I think the community has to get involved and has to start looking at this.”
The cost of a new, Olympic-sized swimming pool that will meet the needs of the community is estimated at approximately $30-million, according to Power. That figure includes an inflation factor, and represents quite a fundraising challenge.
“At $30 million you can't even put a plan in place to raise that sort of money. We can't even borrow that,” said Power. “Even if the plan was to borrow it and pay it off over 25 years, we couldn't do that. We wouldn't be allowed to do that.”
Before the Town even debates how to fund it, they'll have to discuss whether or not they even want to spend those sort of dollars on a recreational facility.
“It just adds to our infrastructure deficit,” said Power. “Obviously Council of the day is going to have to decide whether they want to prioritize a pool over $100-million worth of cast iron water pipes in the streets that need to be replaced.”
Many questions surround the swimming pool, questions that local representatives have feel should start to be discussed in five years time. Council has listed the item on their long-term priorities list, with Sobolewski feeling the topic will start to really be discussed in as soon as three years time.
“My hope is that when we start talking about it, that the community starts sharing their ideas,” said Sobolewksi. “We have some dedicated users that rely on that pool for their health. Even though the number may be small they still are a voice. We will have to try and reconcile all of the opinions and all of the needs and try to come up with the best solution.”
Sobolewski is not against the discussions start sooner; he just doesn't want to be the only one making the decision on what happens to the local pool.
“I know personally, I don't fell comfortable making that decision alone,” said Sobolewski. “I want the community to be involved in it.”
