The City of Enderby has released details on its plan to replace the community’s outdoor pool.
The existing pool at the southeast corner of Barnes Park was constructed in 1954 and is nearing the end of its lifespan. Last year, the city began working towards an idea for the pool’s replacement with a public survey.
More than 500 people responded with 440 in favour of building a new facility, the city said in a post on its website Wednesday, Sept. 23.
The plans include design drawings for a list of pool features, which were selected based on the survey responses.
Those features include:
- Shallower areas to make it easier for parents and tots to exercise and participate in programs together
- A zero (beach) entry so that persons living with mobility challenges can gain access to the pool more easily
- A lazy river that mimics the Shuswap River to teach current and water safety while providing relaxation and therapeutic uses
- An upgraded slide that will be more entertaining for kids
- five lanes that are 25 metres long (rather than 25 yards), making the pool more consistent with contemporary standards and competitive swimming needs
- Changing areas that provide more privacy and inclusivity
- An expanded leisure water area
- A hot tub
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“There was a long ‘wish list’ of great ideas, and we could not include all of them, said Tate Bengtson, chief administrative officer for the city. “We carefully considered public feedback and balanced it with our financial realities, to create a community asset which will provide many decades of recreational experiences and water safety lessons for the communities of the City of Enderby, Rural Enderby, and Splatsin.”
The city plans to locate the pool on the north side of Barnes Park, adjacent to King Avenue. This would allow for the existing pool to stay in operation throughout construction, while providing more parking space.
The cost of the pool is estimated at $5.6 million. The city is seeking an infrastructure grant for $5 million while remainder of the costs will be covered by funds the city has been saving for the project and a loan to be paid over four years.
The deadline for the grant application is Oct. 22 with successful applications to be announced in late summer 2021. If the grant is secured, construction can begin in early summer 2022.
“If we are unsuccessful in the grant application, we will postpone the project until another opportunity or approach is identified,” Bengtson said.
If the current cost estimate and funding strategy holds, the city says the project will not lead to a tax increase for residents. However, the price tag could change depending on design changes, inflation and how contractors and suppliers respond to the project.
“We have a limit on what we can afford, so if market prices are higher than anticipated, the project would not proceed unless supplemental funding sources (such as additional grants or donations) could be obtained,” Bengtson said.
More details can be found on the City of Enderby website, where a feedback form on the latest plans can also be filled and submitted.
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