The Maple Ridge Leisure Centre had some unexpected closures last week, and city hall is going to be hiring more staff.

The first closure came on Monday, when a light fixture fell.

According to city spokesman Fred Armstrong, a light fixture over the Leisure Pool came loose, and the safety system kept anything from reaching the water.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the pool was closed for a short period of time to inspect all the light fixtures. The inspection confirmed that there was no further issues with the lights and the one fixture was repaired and the pool reopened when the work was complete,” he said. “Other areas of the aquatic centre remained open while this work was completed.”

Then there were more closures on Tuesday and Wednesday. First the public swim was closed, and the open gym at the Leisure Centre went to reduced hours. Then a 3-6:30 p.m. public swim was cancelled, and the fitness centre and gym announced early closures on Wednesday.

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Armstrong said the aquatics area needed a partial closure last week due to a staffing shortage, due to workplace safety protocols. Employees experiencing illness are asked to not attend the work site.

“During the Omicron wave of the pandemic we have had to deal with some staffing challenges, and our team works to ensure that there is a minimal disruption of our front-line services,” he said.

“Recruiting additional staff has been prioritized since pool programming was expanded in 2021 when Public Health Orders were updated. Lifeguard demand has been high across the region,” he said.

He said the city will be holding a job fair on April 7, from 1-6 p.m. at the Greg Moore Youth Centre.

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