Westsyde Community Centre Pool. City of Kamloops

UPDATE: Westsyde Pool repair will cost the City of Kamloops millions

KAMLOOPS – The Westsyde Community Centre Pool will be closed longer than its usual summer months for repairs which could cost up to $2.1 million.

According to a report from RDH Building Engineering Ltd., damage to the community centre's roof is substantial.

Originally closed in January after the pool's interior ceiling failed, it is estimated the roof will need between $1.3 million to $2.1 million in repairs, considerably more than the original $30,000 patch job which allowed the pool to re-open in March.

RDH concluded that moisture related issues and a failure of the original heating and air conditioning system in the nearly 40-year-old building were to blame.

Specifically, warm, moist air ever-present in an indoor swimming pool, had impacted the structural integrity of the glue-laminated beams, two-by-six ceiling joists, metal support beams and ceiling materials to the point where the ceiling became a potential safety risk to swimmers.

The exact cost of repairs will be dependent on whether HVAC repairs will be included.

Council agreed with the recommednation from city staff for a prolonged closure of the community pool starting in June, during the normal seasonal closure. City staff will take the time to draft proper documents so the project can be approved in the 2016 spring budget. A resolution will be adopted after a subsequent review of options, which city staff will come back to council with at a later date.

Construction is expected to commence this time next year and is scheduled to be finished by the fall of 2016.

Other areas of the recreation center, including the fitness centre, will not be affected by the repairs. 

The report notes lessons and public swims would likely transfer to the Canada Games Pool and employees would face extended layoffs.

Damage to existing beams. | Credit: City of Kamloops

Actual roof damage. | Credit: City of Kamloops

To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

 — This story was updated at 5:44 p.m. April 14, 2015, with more information from council.

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3 responses

  1. Darleen Polegi

    Why was the roof as well as the heating/air conditioning system allowed to reach this point of disrepair? Were there no regular checks being done? Is this going to be a door opening in the direction of a permanent pool closure?

  2. Barb Lopes

    Westsyde needs and deserves this pool and centre.Its repairs should be done quickly and thoroughly.There are other areas, I’m sure, where money could be saved or put over a year.

  3. Carol Joanne Busat

    This is horrible, how could this happen, who is responsible for this, this didn’t happen overnight, where are the engineers that should be looking after the city’s buildings

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Dana Reynolds

Dana Reynolds is originally from Saskatchewan, but previous to Kamloops lived in Toronto for five years. She is well educated, obtaining her Masters of Arts from York University and Certificate of Broadcast Journalism from Seneca College. Dana has a passion for travel, having worked and studied in three foreign countries. She is a political junkie, especially as pertains the Middle East as she wrote her thesis on Muslim immigration into Europe. Dana is very excited to be in Kamloops and embark on a career in journalism with Info News.

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