TCC pushes back pool maintenance closure in light of wildfires

Aug 18, 2017 | 5:43 PM

KAMLOOPS — With the wildfire smoke forcing people indoors this summer, the Tournament Capital Centre has been especially busy, with more people swimming and working out than usual.

While good for business, it turns out the smoke has forced the centre to push back some of its maintenance operations.

The Tournament Capital Centre has been a fleury of activity this summer, with the B.C. Summer Swim Association meet taking place this week.

“There are five-thousand people here right now, ” said Jeff Putnam, Sports Development Business Operations Manager with the City of Kamloops. “It’s a super busy place right now and actually it’s been really busy in the pool in general.”

Putnam says the widespread smoke throughout the city has played a large part in more people using the center’s gym and pool over the last few months.

“A lot of people just want to get indoors and get away from the smoke,” said Putnam. “I would say it’s 15 to 20 per cent busier than normal which is a pretty substantial amount. On a good day we get about two-thousand people through our doors.”

With traffic, comes wear and tear.

Every year the TCC shuts down its Canada Games Aquatic Centre for two weeks at the end of the summer in order to undergo maintenance.

Putnam says this year’s cleaning is being pushed back for a few reasons.

“Just because of the unpredictably of the smoke and the extra demand we’ve had this year, we’re only going to shut the pool for one day on September 3rd to allow for general maintenance and cleaning.”

The TCC says its pool will be closed for two weeks in December in order to complete the maintenance.

Inside the centre’s fieldhouse, work is coming along on the TCC’s new indoor track.

“Its been pretty much 16 hours a day, seven days a week, they’re going flat out,” said Putnam.

The fieldhouse has been closed all summer for construction, with the Olympic-style track expected to open mid September.

“The fieldhouse is coming along really well,” said Putnam. “Right now they’re just doing the fine tuning and all the rubber has been peeled off. All of the floor material has arrived from Italy and that’ll be put on in the next few days. There’s a lot of demand for indoor opportunities. It’s a very busy place and we invite people to come down and enjoy it.”