With an aging population in Prince George, a proposed new location for the Four Seasons Pool is aimed at providing services specifically designed for seniors.
"Our focus is on seniors and at the open house we held, about 99 per cent of those who attended were seniors," said Doug Wournell, sport architect for the city, at last night's online information session at city hall.
"We will have a heavy emphasis to make sure the facility is more accessible to seniors and to encourage them to come."
Only a handful of residents attended the session but many questions were answered as they along with members of the media shared their concerns regarding the cost and location of a proposed new Four Seasons Pool.
Mayor Lyn Hall and city staff were ready to answer questions regarding the future of the 47 year old iconic building which has served generations of families over the years.
The city hopes this will encourage voter participation in the upcoming referendum to replace Fire Hall No. 1 as well as the pool.
A new pool facility is estimated to cost $35 million and would be located just north of the current pool at the Days Inn Motel building which the city will purchase subject to approval in the referendum.
But the time has come and the pool is no longer meeting safety standards according to the city.
"There is a long list of constraints," said city manager Kathleen Soltis.
"The facility will rate poorly to the community's expectations if we decide to repair the current building."
The city says that the building's structural and operating systems require significant investment beyond routine maintenance with retrofits totaling
$10.3 million.
"The $10.3 million only identifies immediate needs," Wournell said.
"There is much replacement needed there after. As time goes on, more and more systems will fail. It will have major on going maintenance and refurbishing costs."
Along with accessibility issues, the current facility houses inadequate change rooms, an unsafe and slippery deck and ongoing mechanical malfunctions.
For Wournell, the Aquatic Needs Assessment of 2016 says it all.
"Based on the assessment, the idea was to find out what was needed now and we need to move forward into the future. The walls in the current facility are still standing yes, but everything inside the walls such as the plumbing, mechanical and electrical, it's all breaking down," Wournell said.
During the session, a video produced by the city highlighted the leakage and decay on the facility's walls as well is various other issues with accessibility.
"A facility should be accessible for people with all mobility issues. How many people have decided to stay away because of the current access issues?" Wournell said.
According to Ian Wells, general manager of planning and development for the City of Prince George, $4.5 million will go towards the acquisition of the Days Inn and $2.5 will cover demolition costs at the old building which is not included in the $35 million proposed for the new facility.
The Four Seasons Leisure Pool is only one of two pools in the city, the other being the Aquatic Centre located at The Exhibition Park but costs to improve and expand the centre would be substantially higher costing about $65 million according to the assessment.
The YMCA also approached the city proposing the concept of a new YMCA/pool facility downtown.
Based on the needs assessment, residents also indicated a preference for keeping the pool downtown but the city declined the request as it exceeds the scope of a new pool proposal which was already approved by council.
"We don't believe this would ease pressures on the city," Soltis said.
"Their building is aging also and a combined pool would have a significant cost," Soltis said. "It would also run differently as their model includes increased revenues. It would concern the city to have a building that competes with other private facilities."
As for taxes, a property assessed at $300,000 would pay an increase of $59.13 annually based on a 20 year loan and an interest rate of three per cent.
According to Wournell, operating costs of a new pool would stay in line with current costs although with modern features, costs are likely to go down.
The Four Seasons Pool received more than 120,000 visits in 2016 and provides nearly 80 per cent of the swimming lessons delivered in Prince George.
"The assessment guided us on what was needed immediately and what is needed in the future as the population continues to grow," Wournell said.
The proposed pool features include: an improved design which anyone can access regardless of age, ability or needs, a shallow and warm pool for toddlers, a leisure pool with beach entry and slide, a main pool, 25 metres in length and six lanes wide, spacious change rooms, a hot tub, sauna and steam room and a space for gatherings and instruction.
"And our focus is seniors," Wournell says.
"There will be seniors fitness with warmer water temperatures but it's also about making it a social place, a comfy place to sit and talk. Socializing is just as important as exercizing. The new facility will be inviting and not cramped. It will be a social hub, a living room for the community."
If the referendum passes on
Oct. 28, design will begin in 2018 and the construction phase along with demolition of the old building will take about two years to complete according to the city.
