Council announced Monday night that it’s still too preliminary to commit to July 17 as the opening date for the new pool – the Jayman Built Aquatic Centre.
Suzanne Gaida, senior manager of community services for the town, said while construction is now complete and water is being poured for circulation and chemical testing – it’s too presumptive to assume everything will be ready by that time, although it remains a possibility.
The last leg for the facility will be receiving the green light from Alberta Health Services, once clean water samples are obtained.
Gaida assured council that all swimming lessons slated to commence July 17 at the new facility can be accommodated at the Big Hill Leisure Pool.
Council acknowledged that while the news was disappointing, the facility would be “worth the wait.”
The June 5 council session revealed that the initial opening date of June 26 would be delayed. The news was met with a mixture of disappointment and anger from council members – who questioned project management and accountability.
The multiplex facility including the Phillips Curling Centre and Fireside Fitness Centre were part of the first phase of the Spray Lake Sawmills Sports Centre expansion. The price tag for the major capital project rose to $48 million from $45 million last fall, when administration revealed there were construction delays resulting from “unforeseeable ground conditions” and “incomplete blueprints.”
The project was commissioned in order to replace Cochrane’s aging curling club and pool facilities located on Fifth Avenue, where the consensus was that both facilities were operating at a major deficit and could no longer keep up to the town’s current or future growth.
Splish, splash, spray
Gaida also confirmed that the town’s first splash park will open in conjunction with the pool – located at the south side of the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC).
Robin Mitchell, general manager of SLSFSC said the cost for non-facility members will be $5 for youth or $20 for a family – this admission cost also includes the aquatic centre.
Aquatics centre and facility-wide pass holders will enjoy the use of the spray park at no additional cost.
Access to the spray park – complete with spray nozzles and dumping buckets – will be from inside the building only; the park will have secure fencing around the perimeter.
The cost of the spray park was budgeted at $125,000.
