The Maple Ridge Leisure Centre will be going through a new retrofit starting in April and lasting 13 months.
“Our Leisure Centre hosts over a quarter million customer visits a year and the aquatic facilities are a very well used part of our facility. When the pool reopens in 2019, it will look and feel like a completely new facility,” said Christa Balatti, city recreation manager.
The new facility will feature a “walk in” beach-style access to the leisure pool, a new lazy river, a bubbling play area for toddlers and a new hot tub. The waterfall feature at the current pool is going to be restored.
The new lobby will lead customers to the pool deck and there will also be new modern change rooms.
Mechanical and electrical systems will be upgraded to meet current operating standards for improved efficiency and customer comfort.
The exact closure date of the centre has yet to be confirmed, but a plan has been developed to assist frequent pool users during this time.
Council was to award a contract for the $9.6-million project on Tuesday. The recommended bid was for Chandos Construction, out of Burnaby.
Initially, renovations were supposed to begin last November, but were pushed back to this spring after the first request for proposals had to be re-issued.
There will be extended hours at the Hammond Pool and access to facilities in neighbouring communities, including a shuttle service.
Maple Ridge plans to rent time in the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre in Port Coquitlam swimming pool for members of the Haney Neptunes and Haney Seahorses swim clubs.
Pools at the Matsqui Recreation Centre in Abbotsford, the WC Blair Recreation Centre and Walnut Grove Community Centre in Langley, as well as SFU could also be used.
As well, the Hammond Outdoor Pool season will be expanded from two to four months, to allow for swimming lessons, aqua-fit and competitive swim training.
Admission to Hammond Outdoor Pool will be free for all of 2018.
The Greg Moore Youth Centre, fitness centre and gymnasium will remain open and offer regular programming throughout the construction.
• For more information about the Leisure Centre retrofit, go to mapleridge.ca.