It might be offered at a discount price, but Pitt Meadows will pass on a slightly used modular pool.
A Myrtha competition pool was set up in Windsor, Ont. for the 2016 FINA World Swimming Championships, and is available to municipalities at a reduced rate.
Pitt Meadows council asked city staff in November for a report on the capital and ongoing operating costs, as well as site options for a pool.
After council received a staff report on Tuesday night, it pulled the plug on the Myrtha pool project.
Manager of recreation Diane Chamberlain reported that the construction costs would range from $8.4 million to $11.5 million. The pool being offered at a discount represents just 25 per cent of the total cost of the project, she said.
The operating costs would be approximately $1.5 million per year, which would represent a 7.8 per cent tax increase.
And the proposed site is too small.
The Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre was originally constructed with the option of adding a pool at a future date, maximizing use of change rooms and receptions areas for the centre.
However, the change rooms would require significant renovations to accommodate universal change rooms, plus support rooms and administration space would be needed.
There would also need to be 50 parking stalls. Staff concluded the space required would be 3,640 square metres, and a new site for a pool would be required.
Staff also looked at pool trends, and found the public is seeking more leisure components, with warmer pools and features such as gradual entry.
The Vancouver parks board asked customers what pool services they would participate in: 68 per cent said for fun and socializing; 58 per cent for fitness; 27 per cent for swim lessons; eight per cent for physical therapy or rehab; and seven per cent for swim club training.
The Haney Neptunes summer swim club would represent a small percentage of potential users of the pool, according to the report.
“So the risk of building a standalone competition pool could result in a facility that doesn’t properly serve the needs of all the stakeholders,” said Chamberlain.
Council directed staff to engage the community about indoor and outdoor pools through the parks and recreation master plan process, which will get under way later in 2018.
“I just want to bring up again that there is a $140 million complex opening up in PoCo this year, and they will be paying the huge operating costs, and it’s 10 minutes from here,” noted Coun. Janis Elkerton.
She said this “brand new shiny toy” will be available to Pitt Meadows residents for the same price as Port Coquitlam users.
Mayor John Becker said the Myrtha pool appeared to be an opportunity for savings.
“We’re not going to take this one, but we are going to put it out to a civic engagement piece,” he said.
Becker agreed it will be important to see how often Pitt Meadows residents use nearby pools in PoCo and other cities before building one locally.