The final touches weren’t ready but the weather definitely was, so the newly designed Woodman pool opened to the public with a single splash over the weekend.
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With tickets handed out to those lining up to be first in the pool, Mayor Kevin Davis drew a number and Emily Kaytoo, 9, became the first official swimmer to leap into the water.
“It was cold!” the Grandview student reported, adding that it was an exciting moment when her number was called.
Her cousin, Oliver Miller, 7, said he wished both of their numbers could have been called so they could have jumped together.
No matter: within a few seconds, almost everyone was in the 25-meter pool, which is expanded with five lanes for swimming laps, a shallow end and a section with a walk or roll-in entry, topped by a water bucket splash pad .
“It’s beautiful,” said the mayor, “and it’s been years in the making.”
Some additional touches weren’t ready for Saturday’s grand opening: Davis said there will eventually be tables, chairs and umbrellas for those sitting pool-side.
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“We thought, what was more important? To delay the opening of the pool until we had them or to open the pool?”
The old pool, closed mid-August 2020 with an obvious problem.
“It was leaking 18 inches of water every day,” Davis said. “It couldn’t be fixed.”
Despite a thumbs down from a consultant, council eventually decided to replace the pool as it’s the only outdoor municipal pool and serves a substantial demographic for both swimming lessons and recreational programs. It was largely funded by provincial and federal grants.
But it’s been a slow process, with plans originally calling for a reopening in the summer of 2022.
“Council wanted to just put a splash pad in originally,” said Coun. Richard Carpenter.
“But in this neighborhood and all the townhouses build along Gray Street – none of them have backyards big enough for a pool.”
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Carpenter said the project is “long overdue.”
His wardmate in Ward 4, Linda Hunt, who is a busy accessibility advocate, said the new facility is “amazing”, especially due to the access ramp that allows those who are unsteady or with disabilities, wheelchairs, or walkers, to safely ease into the pool.
“It’s open to the public so anyone in the city can come up here and enjoy a pool day in the summer. Those with disabilities don’t have a lot of opportunities.”
The Woodman pool is now open on weekends for swimming lengths from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm; family swims from 12:30-2 p.m.; and public swims from 2-4 pm
Starting June 29, it will be open daily all summer with additional weekday swimming times.
The pool is part of the redeveloped Woodman complex that will include a community garden, accessible playground equipment, games tables, pathways and shade structures, all set to open in the fall.
@EXPSGamble
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