For Immediate Release
December 10, 2024
SWIFT CURRENT, SK – At the regular Council meeting held on December 9, 2024, Council received a report from the City of Swift Current General Manager of Cultural and Aquatic Services, Melissa Shaw, regarding the results of the Aquatic Centre Building Condition Assessment.
The current Aquatic Centre was built in 1981 with an annual average of 52,000 people utilizing the facility, including 1,966 swimming lesson registrations and 166 Lifeguard certifications offered for Swift Current and the Southwest in 2024. Its operation remains a critical service to the region to equip lifesaving personnel.
The facility has faced numerous challenges in its service life of 43 years and continues to deteriorate. As a result of these challenges and the potential grant opportunities that have existed over the past number of years, a focus on finding ways to fund a new build rather than retrofitting the current facility has remained a common goal.
However, in the past four (4) years the City has been required to fund essential Capital upgrades to keep the Aquatic Centre operational, with approximately $1.275M invested for upgrades and repairs, such as a new roof, lighting upgrades, new pumps, and air exchange units. An additional $57,000 was required for the boiler damage in 2022 and unexpected electrical issues during a pump failure in 2023. Annually, the facility requires $10,000 for tile and grout repairs and approximately $58,000 in capital maintenance.
In the spring of 2024 Administration presented a report to Council detailing the deteriorating condition of the Aquatic Centre. During the summer closure, an electrical, mechanical, structural and accessibility assessment was completed to obtain a full understanding of its current condition.
At Monday night’s Council meeting, it was reported that there are deficiencies in the Aquatic Centre that require repairs in each of these areas - $110,000 for electrical repairs, $193,000 for mechanical repairs, and the rest of the repairs being structural, for a total of $2.1M requested in the 2025 Capital Budget to extend the service life of the facility approximately three-to-five years.
Although this vital investment is a not a long-term solution, it does allow the City to continue operating the current facility while working towards the community’s target of a new Aquatic Facility. The current facility is safe to use and will remain in operation, barring any unforeseen circumstances, until its scheduled spring closure and the opening of Fairview Pool.
Mayor Al Bridal states, “The repairs required to keep the Aquatic Centre open while we continue to strive toward a new facility, are simply put, a critical investment for the immediate future. Even if we were to get funding very quickly for a new facility, we would still need to provide an operational pool during its construction. We do not want to see our community going without, while we work toward providing new, along with the Southwest Facility Foundation and all its generous supporters.”
Planning is underway already for construction starting in May through September, and more information will be shared as it becomes available.
The City of Swift Current Council and Adminstration are committed to providing healthy safe places for families to experience fun, enjoyment, and leisure while facilitating experiences of sport, culture, and recreation to the Southwest.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Rri Branconnier-Bye or Kayla Gaetz
Communications & Stakeholder Relations Team
City of Swift Current
306-778-2759 or 306-778-2783
comms@swiftcurrent.ca
