A petition circulating the Hart area is too late to change the city's direction regarding the replacement of Four Seasons Leisure Pool downtown, Mayor Lyn Hall says.
This weekend Hart resident Svend Serup, with the help of his son Paul, circulated a petition to 22 businesses in the Hart which calls on the city to repair the Four Seasons pool and build a new pool in the Hart using the $35 million in borrowing approved by voters in a referendum on Oct. 28.
Hall said the city clearly communicated its plans to replace the pool to residents long before it went to referendum. Residents voted 62.48 per cent in favour (4,923 votes in favour and 2,956 against) of borrowing the money.
"Changing gears now would be very difficult, if not impossible," Hall said. "We talked about $10.3 million to repair the Four Seasons... that still leaves you with a 50-year-old building. (And) to operate three pools would be very costly."
The city looked at several possible locations for a replacement pool before settling on the current site of the Days Inn at 600 Quebec St., Hall said. The city has committed to buy the hotel site for $4.5 million.
"The rationale to keep it downtown is (the Four Seasons pool currently) draws 100,000 to 115,000 visitors a year," Hall said. "It will be a focal point for the downtown."
Hall said while it may be too late to change the plans around the Four Seasons pool, city council is always open to receiving petitions, letters and other feedback from the public.
