Paradise shelves swimming pool for time being
By Mark Squibb, The Shoreline
The Town of Paradise won’t be constructing a swimming pool anytime soon.
After two years of debate and discussion and a $74,000 consultation study, the town has decided to shelve the project – for now, at least.
In 2024, the town committed to a pool feasibility study in response to public demand, and in 2025 hired Stantec to complete the feasibility study at a cost of $74,897, HST included.
That study, presented to council in December, found that a new swimming pool would cost between $46 and $67 million dollars, based on a number of factors including size and location, and that residents would be on the hook for an additional $100 per household per year to help cover the operating costs.
The official recommendation of staff, brought forward by councillor Jennifer Hiscock during last week’s committee meeting, was to keep the project “under consideration.”
“As a council, we’ve definitely done a great deal of engagement on the pool project and its feasibility, including the most recent consultation study at the Double Ice Complex, where Stantec presented its report, and while attendance was lower than expected – I believe we had 12 residents show up, and of course there’s been a lot of engagement on social media – but it wasn’t at a loss,” said councillor Jennifer Hiscock. “Where we were able to chat with those residents and hear their concerns and listen to their questions.”
Hiscock added that the town would need funding to move ahead with the project.
“This is a massive project, and an investment that’s taken a lot of council’s headspace and a lot of discussion,” added councillor Sheldon Antle. “There’s a discussion around wants versus needs, and what it is that we can have. I know the increases that residents would have to see in regard to their tax bills, and what they can take on as an additional burden.”
Antle asked what work would be done on the project before the next budget is dropped.
“Will we be actively, or continuing, to explore funding opportunities, regional partnership, grant opportunities, to see whether or not this will come to fruition at some point?” asked Antle.
“At this point, there will be no further work regarding the pool until council agrees to moves the pool feasibility study further,” said Hiscock. “The next step will be for council to determine whether this project can be advanced for further budget considerations.”
Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street said she hoped staff might find funding for the project, and added that the town has already undertaken a number of other recreation projects, including work at both Paradise Park and Elizabeth Park and the Avalon Dragon’s Boathouse on Paradise Pond.
“I think, for me, I would support a pool in the future budget, but those other things I just mentioned should be addressed first,” said Street. “We committed to this in the current strategic plan, to do this feasibility study, and I guess maybe we should dive deeper into the creation of the next strategic plan, is kind of where my head is at right now.”
Councillor Tommy Maher added that while he was supportive of a swimming pool, that swimming pool would come with a large price tag.
“I think right now, we should maybe focus, council and staff on coming up with some regional funding,” said Maher. “We can’t support this alone and we can’t really depend on the taxpayers to fund it. Right now, we need funding. That’s why we need to keep pushing and looking where we can, and reaching out where we can to find something for this… the sad thing is, the longer we wait, the more it’s going to cost.”
Councillor Glen Carew said that many would benefit from a swimming pool, however the town is already committed to a number of infrastructure projects, with more on the horizon.
“We just don’t have that kind of money, considering we need to be able to do all the other things like flush toilets and turn on taps and drive on roads,” said Carew. “As much as I’m in favour of a pool, I’m not in favour of burdening residents with the cost of that pool in this moment in time. I’d love to be able to find a way to partner with another municipality if possible, or find federal funding, and continuing on with that (looking for funding). But of course, staff have other projects and council have many other things that we need to focus on, and I believe staff’s recommendation here is valid. Let’s put this aside until we can find a way to allocate, or find funding, or find a reasonable way to get this project off the ground.”
Mayor Patrick Martin, meanwhile, concurred, noting that the town indeed has a number of other costly projects already in various stages of work.
In the meantime, staff will keep Stantec’s report on the website.