Paradise pool could run north of $67M
By Mark Squibb
A swimming pool – which seems to be the number one item atop some Paradise residents’ municipal wish list – could cost the Town upwards of $67 million dollars, council was told last week.
The figure comes from Stantec, the consultant company the Town hired this past summer to complete a pool feasibility study.
Stantec representatives presented their report to council at its regular public meeting last week.
The consultants set the base cost at about $46 million, but the actual cost would depend on a number of factors, including its location.
Stantec proposed either building the pool onto the Double Ice Complex or near the Dianne Whalen sports field.
A steel structure with a 25-metre lap pool built onto the Double Ice Complex would cost $46.8 million while a 50-metre lap pool would cost nearly $61.7 million.
A 25-metre lap pool timber structure at the same site would cost $47.2 million, while a 50-metre lap pool timber structure would cost nearly $62 million.
Building a facility at the Dianne Whalen sports field, meanwhile, would cost between $49.9 million and $67.6 million based on those same factors.
The prices come with a 20 percent design and pricing contingency, 10 percent construction contingency, and are accurate within 30 percent in either direction, with about a six precent cost increase expected per year.
Both sites come with pros and cons, although building onto the Double Ice Complex seemed to be the preferable option.
By building onto the arena, Stantec representative Amelia Hollingshurst explained, the Town could create a recreation hub, eliminate some need for extra staffing, and avail of the heat recovery from the ice plant to heat the swimming pool. On the flip side, construction of the pool could cause some disruption at the Double Ice Complex, and its addition would reduce visibility of the main entrance from the parking lot.
If the town decided to build a pool near Dianne Whelan field, the pros include the nearness of Paradise Intermediate, future expansion opportunities, and a lack of disruption to existing programing. The more remote location, however, comes with a host of challenges, including concerns over water pressure, the need for road upgrades and a pumping station to service the facility, hiring of additional staff, and a lack of visibility from the main road.
Hollingshurst recommend the use of mass timber construction over steel.
“Mass timber and wood perform really well in a wet environment,” said Hollingshurst. “When you use steel, you have to put in more effort to treat the steel, prime the steel, coat it in an epoxy coating, which is pretty horrible for the environment. And ultimately, we see failure and rust. So, we’re seeing more and more aquatic spaces go with mass timber for those reasons.”
Stantec estimates the facility would come with an estimated $1.8 million annual operating cost.
As for revenue, the Town would need to register 2,500 swimmers at a cost of $70 per 10 lessons and 276,000 swimmers at a drop-in rate of $2.50 to $5 per swimmer, as well as book 1,200 rental hours at a cost of $15 per hour to recover even half of the pool’s annual operating cost.
Stantec recommend the Town tax residents at a cost of about $100 per dwelling to cover the remaining operating costs.
Hollinghurst added that members of a local swim team volunteered to teach lessons and lifeguard, which would reduce some operational costs.
“We can’t guarantee that’s going to happen, but it’s an interesting solution to working towards keeping the space functional and operating,” said Hollingshurst.
Jason Simituk of Quantum Recretion, which also worked on the study, said the Town received 1,921 completed online surveys, an unusually high number.
“That’s actually one of the largest uptakes we’ve had in a community of your size, on all the feasibility studies we’ve done,” he said. “It was quite insane to see how excited people were to fill this survey out.”
Many respondents indicated that they use pools in neighbouring communities and are frustrated with limited availability and long waitlists. Between 80 and 90 percent agreed that a pool would improve the quality of life of residents, although some did voice concerns over tax increases and sustainability.
Some 85 percent said they would be willing to pay additional taxes to support a pool, while 64 percent rated a shallow children’s area as ‘essential.’
The consultants even received a handwritten letter expressing one family’s desire for a pool.
A visible and inviting entrance, access control and surveillance, and an open social area were important considerations in the consulting firm’s draft plans.
Members of council briefly discussed the presentation, but no firm decisions were made.
“I expected to be hit with a $50 million price tag,” said Mayor Patrick Martin. “It is a large number, and it is an estimate… But it’s a good starting point for our decision-making process.”
The Town paid Stantec $74,897, HST included, to complete the study.