Tours of aging Summerland Aquatic Center offered ahead of referendum – Okanagan
Residents of Summerland, British Columbia, are one step closer to voting on whether or not to borrow up to $50 million for a new swimming pool.
However, ahead of the vote, the district is now offering tours of the current Summerland Aquatic and Fitness Center to show the need for a new one.
The visits are part of a 10-week information-sharing campaign aimed at ensuring residents make an informed decision.
“Council knows that the proposed Summerland Recreation Center is an important project for our community and it is essential to have a thorough and open discussion about it,” said Mayor Doug Holmes.
“That’s why the district is fully committed to taking the next 10 weeks to review detailed information on how we got here, what’s included in the facility, and how this type of investment would impact the taxpayers of Summerland.”
From a leaky roof to decades-old equipment, the facility has a number of major issues.
According to Summerland staff, the center, built in 1976, is well past its useful life and would require significant capital investment to repair or it would eventually be decommissioned.
“We conducted a building condition a*sessment in 2018 and from that a*sessment we learned that all aspects of this facility are at end of life,” said Lori Mullin, Community Services Manager for Summerland.
“So we’re looking at our mechanical and structural systems…and from there, we recognize that we needed to very quickly create a plan of what we were going to do for the future of this facility.”
In addition to tours, the district plans to host a number of in-person engagements, including open houses, pop-up booths at community events, and presentations to local community groups.
“We want to ensure that voters are able to make an informed decision, based on accurate and factual data. That’s why we encourage everyone to learn about the project and join the conversation,” said Holmes.
“The decision we make collectively will help shape the future of our community. »
The current plan for the new multi-purpose recreational facility includes:
- a new aquatic center including a 6-lane swimming pool, a leisure pool, a whirlpool bath, a hammam or a sauna
- a fitness center
- a multipurpose fitness room
- a multipurpose family/youth room
- universal access and family changing rooms
- entrance hall, pool view, reception, administrative offices
- modern and energy efficient building standards (minimum LEED Silver).
General voting day for the referendum will be on Saturday November 4, 2023, with advance voting days on Wednesday October 25 and Tuesday October 31.
More information on past studies, current information and tour dates can be found on the Summerland website.
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