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Pool packed for grand reopening of Maple Ridge Leisure Centre

There was an official ceremony, ribbon cutting and cake
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Scarlett Sironen, 3, plays catch during the grand reopening of the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre on Sunday. (Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS)

The grand opening of the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre took place Sunday with free admission and activities for the whole family.

A video of the 38-year history of the leisure centre was shown to people who turned out for the official ceremony along with a video made from hundreds of photographs showing the progress of the work being done to the pool over the past couple of years.

READ MORE: Maple Ridge pool getting ready to re-open after two years

“It gives you a real sense for how much work actually does go on behind the scenes,” said City of Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden.

“I know it was a long journey,” he said as he welcomed everyone to the official reopening of the aquatics area of the centre.

Morden told the crowd that this facility is the heart of the city and has been the social hub of Maple Ridge for all of its history.

READ MORE: Re-done Maple Ridge Leisure Centre is now open

“It will now serve a new generation of young people that will learn to swim and gain confidence and jump through that waterfall as well as serve as a place for those of us that are a little older and stay fit in slightly different ways,” he said.

He also gave a shout out to the three swim clubs that work out of the facility: the Haney Neptunes Aquatics Club; the Haney Seahorse Swim Club; and the Special Olympics.

Following his speech, Morden along with attending city councillors walked out to the pool deck to perform the official ribbon cutting with a packed swimming pool behind them.

Cake and cupcakes were then handed out to attendees.


 

cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com

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Thomas Dewan, 2 and his mother Sheyanne Diablo enjoy the new pool at the leisure centre. (Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS)
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Avery Boyd, 7, and her father Blair at the grand reopening of the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre on Sunday. Blair has been coming to this pool since he was four-years-old. (Colleen Flanagan-THE NEWS)
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People enjoy the new river in the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre pool. (Colleen Flanagan-THE NEWS)


Colleen Flanagan

About the Author: Colleen Flanagan

I got my start with Black Press Media in 2003 as a photojournalist.
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