Reopening the swimming pool at Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook and building upon the infrastructure that already exists has been determined to be the best path to take to provide a new aquatic centre for the region.
In May, the City of Corner Brook and Grenfell Campus engaged in discussions on reopening the pool.
Those discussions resulted in the city having a consultant look at the pool structure. The city paid $49,647.20 (plus HST) to DPF Consulting and Contracting Inc. to complete that work.
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Grenfell Campus being considered as site for aquatic and community centre
No timeframe given for how long Grenfell pool will be closed
While that was happening, the feasibility study the city had earlier committed to doing with Mount Moriah, Massey Drive, Steady Brook, the YMCA of Western Newfoundland, Humber Community and the Corner Brook Rapids Swim Club was put on hold.
Corner Brook Mayor Jim Parsons said the news coming out of the study done by DPF Consulting and Contracting Inc. has been good.
“There’s no surprise that it needs some work, specifically around the deck. But structurally it seems that it is very sound and is more than an adequate starting point to build upon.”
Parsons said the original feasibility study advisory group has discussed the results and have all agreed that it is the best option to pursue from a site perspective.
He said the location gives the option to build upon almost the whole wing of the university campus that houses the pool, including the gymnasium and associated offices.
“Just using that infrastructure as the basis for building the new aquatic centre.”
Parsons said the group feels developing on that site is the most pragmatic, most cost-effective way to get a new aquatic centre.
“We think we’re starting way farther ahead by building upon that existing pool. But we all agree we are not satisfied with simply fixing the pool and opening it again.”
He said there needs to be more features added and doing so would likely mean changes to the envelope of the building.
The next step for the group will be to issue a request for proposals for conceptual design and costing.
Those are things the group will need before it looks for potential funding for the project.
“Is it a $5-million project or is it a $25-million project?” Parsons asked.
Parsons is confident that by taking the existing facility and operations and building on that, it can save on the capital needed for building the new centre and operating it.
“We can have a modern facility that suits the needs of many in our community,” he said.
