No money in budget for Paradise pool this year

By Mark Squibb

Paradise residents hoping Budget 2026 would include plans for a new swimming pool may have been disappointed following the recent budget presentation.
Although no cash has been earmarked for a new swimming pool, Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street briefly touched on the subject during her budget presentation on January 29.
“Last year, the Town undertook a pool feasibility study so that council would be equipped with all the key information needed to consider building a pool in our town,” said Street. “Council has a duty to make evidence-based decisions, to balance all the various needs of our town, and to ensure financial commitments are spent for the betterment of Paradise. We know there are many residents that would love to see a pool added to our recreational amenities, however, to do so comes at a significant financial cost. To build the facility, we must have cost-shared funding from other levels of government, and council must ensure making that investment, at this time, is right for Paradise.”
That feasibility study, presented to council in December, determined a pool would cost between $46 and $67 million, depending on a number of factors including size and location, and would cost about $1.8 million in annual operating costs.
Stantec, the consultant hired to complete the study, recommended the Town tax residents roughly an extra $100 per dwelling annually to help cover the operating costs.
Street said council will be sharing the results with residents and inviting feedback in the coming weeks.