Following several months of deliberation, the Region of Queens looks to be closing in on a design for a new outdoor pool.
At their last meeting, council decided to recommend the project manager and engineer develop concept drawings based on criteria established by the Region’s pool committee.
The Region wants to see plans for a six-lane, 25 metre outdoor pool with a zero-entry access located adjacent to Queens Place Emera Centre. Consideration is also being given to including heat recovery from the ice plant at Queens Place, installing deck lights to extend swim times and inclusive, male, and female dressing rooms. The pool committee would also like a therapy hot tub, but some councilllors were concerned that could put the project over budget.
Councillor Kevin Muise says he wants to have a better understanding of the costs before moving ahead with any additions. “I have some problems with it because we have no idea of the price. You know if you're going to raise the money and put that in separately then I don't have a problem with it,” said Muise. ”But to just sit here and vote on something to say 'yes I'm in favor of a hot tub' and we have no idea price and what it's going to cost the taxpayers I have a little problem.”
Councillor David Brown shared Councillor Muise’s concern but said he’d rather learn the price and cut it later if needs be. “I'm in favour of moving ahead with taking it to the next step because I think it's a lot easier for us, when we get the numbers, to strike a line through it, to cut something out than it is to decide down the road that we want to add something into the design,” said Brown. “You know, then we will be basing our decisions on the knowledge that we've got a certain budget, this is the cost, and do the two match up?”
In the end council decided to go ahead with getting designs and pricing including the hot tub.
Interim CAO Dan McDougall says ideally the project manager and engineer will bring designs forward for council to approve over the winter so construction can begin next spring.
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