Canada Games Pool users making alternate plans for six-month closure

Aquatics Program Supervisor Andrew Smeaton says in an email that the September through June timeframe was found to be extremely important to user groups. He also explained that the initial design process revealed there would be significant cost increases and risks associated with putting off the project until June of 2021, so the city decided to move up the project to 2020.

Smeaton notes that the aquatics user groups were given a heads up before city council voted earlier in January, and they are still working out schedules at other facilities.

With more than 200 swimmers in and out of the pool on a weekly basis, Kamloops Classic Swimming is one of the largest user groups at the Canada Games Pool.

When the pool closes, Head Coach Brad Dalke says they’ll be leaning on other facilities to keep practices, and programs going.

“So what it really looks like is our programs will be primarily over at Brock during the summer, and then we’ll also have stuff happening in Westsyde as well,” Dalke says. “We run a large summer camp — we had 280 kids in the program last summer — they’ll all be going over to Brock. And the talk is right now that (the City) will be bringing in a portable (classroom) so that they can help us with our program. But they also need to be bringing in a portable because they’re doing all their lifeguard training.”

With plenty of out-of-town competitions after springtime, Dalke says the summertime scheduling is shaping up to be manageable. The Brocklehurst pool will be extending hours and staying open until October 15, and the club says it’s working with the city to sort out fall placements.

“Since I’ve come to Kamloops we’ve shut down a number of outdoor pool scenarios, and what this really does is highlight the need for our community to have more indoor water space.”

There are other pools in town to use, but at half the size of the 50-metre facility at the TCC, it means the kind of training athletes normally get will take a hit.

“This year we’ve got 10 kids qualified for Olympics Trials,” Dalke notes. “So you know, the caliber of kids that we’re talking about that this is going to effect is at a high level.”

The City did work with the swim club to figure out a compromise with which of the regular fall or winter meets it could drop. However, Dalke says the club does have some concerns about the loss of revenue that will come with not hosting one of its larger meets.

“Our MJB Law Invitational which happens typically in the second week of December — that’s a big revenue generator for us, we usually have 350 to 450 kids come in for that.”

The Kamloops Sunrays Synchro team will also be displaced from its regular training at the TCC. Head Coach Tina Naveri says they’re working with the city to find spots that have a space large enough, and deep enough for athletes to use.

“We’re hoping to be able to maintain our hours within what we have right now with the City. And if not, then try and get some time with gyms, or hotel pools or somewhere that we can modify what we’re doing in order to keep our programs going.”

Naveri says their programs range in ability from beginner, to national stream athletes, and it’s important to have a space where they can properly practice routines without hitting the bottom of the pool. She adds that the City has been on top of communicating with them, and has been trying its best to schedule in pool time.

“It was a concern of ours, is what are we going to do? But they seem to have a plan. So we are working on sitting down with the City and being able to go over that plan, adjusting, and seeing how it’s going to affect our programs.”

While the closure is not an ideal scenario, the underlying consensus from regular pool users is the improvements will mean a better space at the end of the six months, and they’re glad to see the investment.

For example, Dalke says he’s seen other facilities not get updates such as these over the years, and it can lead to bigger problems down the line.

“UBC — their old pool wasn’t even 40 years old, and they didn’t put the money back into that facility. They actually had to bulldoze it down, close it obviously, and they rebuilt a new facility for themselves. But that was just out of neglect for putting money back into the facility and making sure that it was taken care of.”

Along with the swim club and synchro, diving, lessons programs, and public swimming will all be moved around.

Smeaton says that the City has broken up the closure into three scheduling periods: June 29 to September 6, September 7 to October 15 and October 16 to December 31. So far, the groups have begun booking into the second period, and the third period is still being planned.

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Canada Games Pool users making alternate plans for six-month closure

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