Pool setback a disappointment for Westsyde residents

Jan 11, 2017 | 4:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — Just as Westsyde residents should have been preparing to head back to the pool, a contractor error has set the work back. 

Westsyde Pool has been closed since June 2015, with renovations beginning in August 2016. The facility was set to reopen at the end of this month, but an error with building materials has thrown a wrench in that timeline. 

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“I’ve been in talks with a lot of people, they’ve been really itching and waiting for the pool to get open, especially with weather like this, the winter time,” said Steve Delaney, president of the Westsyde Community Development Society. “There’s not much else a guy can do outside. The pool was a nice reprieve from that. They’re going to be upset.”

According to the city, the wrong panels for the roof deck were delivered to the site. The panels were partially installed by contractor, D&T Developments before the error was realized.

“In a perfect world when the materials were delivered to the site it would have been figure out at that point,” said Director of Public Works and Utilities, Jen Fretz. “The contractor or the consultant would have realized at that point. The materials could have been replaced before they were installed, but unfortunately we’re in the situation where that didn’t happen so they will now have to be removed and replaced with the proper materials.” 

It’s not the first time D&T Developments has made a mistake on a city project. Error made in the 2007 construction of the Tournament Capital Centre Fieldhouse resulted in years of water damage. 

In October, D&T Developments and the designer Stantec Architecture Ltd. settled with the city to cover repair costs to the tune of $865,000. 

Despite a previous issue with the company, Fretz says the city stands by their tender process.

“So this process to get the contract in this situation was we did a pre-qualification, so there were three contractors pre-qualified and then based on that pre-qualification we then asked the contractors to bid on the work, and we did go with the lowest bid,” explained Fretz. “So our tender process was solid and it’s something that we can certainly stand behind. We’re very confident from a city perspective in our contract and the tender process that we went through.” 

Fretz says the contractor is on the hook for fixing this latest mistake, and it won’t cost taxpayers. 

While the repair work has been significantly set back, residents can take some comfort in knowing they will get their pool back, eventually. 

“People are pretty much resigned to the fact that we are keeping our pool, it is being fixed.” Delaney said. “I wish it could be fixed quicker, but it is being fixed, we are retaining our building and our pool, so that’s the main point. People are happy with that, they would like to see it done a little bit quicker. I mean it’s been down now for a year. That’s a long time.”

D&T Developments was not available for comment.