Powassan town council says before any plan to repair the municipal pool is approved, elected officials need to know what those repairs will cost.
At the October meeting of council, staff was directed to bring back a report that identifies the repair work the pool needs. Staff did that, and while some of the repairs will cost very little, others are expensive.
It appears the largest single cost to ensure the pool can open for the 2024 season is carrying out work on the pool floor and its deck. Estimates vary widely from $100,000 to $500,000.
The amount includes the cost of repairing pipes under the pool floor.
Staff says fixing the pool and deck is the main priority in order to meet the requirements of the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit which identified issues with the pool earlier this year.
The pool also needs a new commercial filtration system which is estimated to cost $10,000.
Council also learned the pool's two pumps are residential grade and not made for a pool as large as the municipal facility. The result is water is not pumped through the pool properly and is creating a chemical imbalance. Staff adds this improper flow could be affecting the pool floor because the chemicals are sitting too long and causing erosion on the floor. Staff say two commercial-grade pumps are needed and these would cost about $4,000.
The pool was built in 1957 by the local Lions Club which then turned over ownership of the facility to the municipality. Over the decades plumbing regulations have changed since the pool was first built. The staff report indicates it will cost approximately $5,000 to bring the outdated plumbing up to date.
The pool also needs new stairs and a ladder for the deep end and the cost for both ranges between $1,500 and $2,000.
A flow meter which calculates the water turnover rate and helps with balancing the chemicals is also required and it will cost around $500.
Much of the pool equipment is housed in a shed. Staff told the council a new shed will be needed but this dollar amount has not yet been calculated.
The staff report outlines the timelines for the work. It says during 2024, the pool floor and deck should be fixed, the new stairs and ladder should be installed and the town needs to buy the flow meter. During 2025 and 2026 the new shed can be built and the new pumps, plumbing, and filters can be installed. This would be followed by the purchase of new picnic tables and lifeguard chairs during 2026 and 2027.
“It's a really good plan,” said councillor Leo Patey. “But before we can implement anything, we need to know the final cost. I'm a big fan of the pool. It's a huge asset for the community and it brings people in from neighbouring communities”.
Patey strongly believed council has to defer any decisions until it has proper quotes on what much of the work involves.
His council colleague Randy Hall agreed saying “We need to get actual costing.” Hall added council needed to ensure the work is done properly so that the community gets a lot more use out of the pool over the ensuing years.
Mayor Peter McIsaac was also on board with knowing the actual costing information before going ahead with the work. McIsaac told council in recent years new technology has been developed which may make the pool repair costs cheaper.
“We need to explore that”, McIsaac said, adding that employing new technologies into the pool project might extend its life for another 20 to 50 years.
McIsaac also supported the timeline staff created on how to move forward with fixing the pool.
It's now up to the staff to get accurate quotes for the various work the pool needs.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
