By Tarrah Harvey

Mayor’s proposal for community pools could support a growing community

Apr 4, 2016 | 4:59 PM

KAMLOOPS —  The wait is almost over for North Shore residents on the fate of two community pools. It was clear after four public meetings that the community wanted to keep the Westsyde and Brocklehurst pools. Kamloops Mayor, Peter Milobar, heard that loud and clear and responded with a proposal to keep both facilities. 

“This is an attempt to try to be fair to all, to try to move forward and still be cost effective and still keep those plannings for those other enhanced services for the North Shore residents as well,” said Milobar.

In his report to council the Mayor says the cost to repair Westsyde pool would be about 3 million dollars. The price tag on Brocklehurst would be a little less, estimated at just over 2 hundred thousand to renew. Milobar says, they have the money to get started on the projects right away. 

“We do have the money already set aside for the Westsyde pool, so it’s not like we need taxation dollars to do this, we’ve already got the money sitting there.”

Boogie The Bridge

Boogie The Bridge Event Information

Apr 19, 2024

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Short-term rental rules coming into effect in British Columbia

10h ago

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Board may as well not have asked public about school's name

14h ago

The North Shore Business Association believes the Mayor’s plan would make the most sense and would satisfy everyone.

“Overall what it comes down to is when you look at taxpayer subsidy as well as community needs and wants, if you were to shut everything down and build a new facility that would still put you up at one or two years for completion,” said Executive Director, Steven Puhallo. “I think what the Mayor has done, and what I hope council will discuss is that there is a balance found between those two, between the needs and wants of taxpayers and the needs and wants of the community, not just the North Shore but all of Kamloops.” 

Puhallo says, keeping the two facilities open would give the city time to look at numbers and the possibility of opening a new facility at McAurthur Island in addition to the Brock and Westsyde pools.

“We are a growing community over here, we have new business investment, we have new housing development happening and when you have that growing community, as the rest of Kamloops grows as well, not just on the North Shore, that it won’t be a one or the other choice, I think it’ll be a supplement to what’s already here.”

Council will discuss the Mayor’s proposal on Tuesday at the council meeting.