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Vernon’s 64-year-old peanut pool revamped with spray park

The city received close to $1.9 million new grant funding; new pool expected to be ready by summer 2023
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Lakeview Park wading pool. (Conceptual drawing)

The City of Vernon has secured enough funds to revitalize the Lakeview Wading Pool.

The city announced Thursday it can move forward with a $3.3 million project to revitalize the Lakeview Wading Pool — also known as the Peanut Pool — having received a grant from the Canada-British Columbia Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program worth nearly $1.9 million.

The investment will “ensure that the community can continue to enjoy this beloved recreation site for years to come,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Families in Vernon can look forward to many more summer days spent with friends at Lakeview Park.”

Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu called the pool “a great place for families to enjoy” during the summer season.

“Investments in infrastructure build vibrant communities, and our government is committed to continuing the work necessary so that the North Okanagan becomes an even better place to live, work and play. I’m excited to see this major upgrade become a reality and want to thank everyone at the City of Vernon who worked so hard to make this possible,” Sandhu added.

The joint federal-provincial funding amounts to $1,887,576, which will be used for long-awaited upgrades to the pool basin, an updated change room, washroom and mechanical room, and enhanced nearby park space with the addition of a small spray park.

“On behalf of the city, I would like to thank the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia for providing this funding, to help make much needed changes to this well-used summer recreation site,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “The Lakeview Wading Pool has been at the centre of many good memories for families in the Greater Vernon area since 1958, and this site revitalization will offer the chance for many more years of memories to be made there.”

The city’s Recreation Services recently conducted online public engagement, garnering more than 900 responses on a conceptual design for the pool and park space. Results of that engagement are now being reviewed by staff.

The project is expected to get underway this summer, including the demolition of the old wading pool and site preparation work. The new pool and spray park are tentatively set to open in summer 2023.

READ MORE: Grants buoy new Enderby and Vernon pools

READ MORE: Vernon wades into plans to replace aging Peanut Pool


Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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