It was supposed to be around for another two years, but on Wednesday, the City of New Westminster announced Canada Games Pool is now permanently closed.
The pool, which opened 48 years ago, had been under a temporary closure since September after heavy rain caused flooding in the facility’s mechanical room. The City says as crews worked to fix the flooding issue, they found a leak in the main pool tank.
“The City of New Westminster has made the difficult decision to decommission the Canada Games Pool effective immediately,” reads a statement from the City.
“The decision to not proceed with repairs to Canada Games Pool was due to the significant costs, extensive work required, associated risks, and an estimated timeline of approximately 8 months to complete. Additionally, the significant cost, extensive work required, and an estimated timeline of approximately eight months to complete were all contributing factors to the decision to not proceed with repairs to the facility.”
The facility was originally scheduled to be decommissioned in August 2023 to make way for a a new aquatic and community centre. The təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre is scheduled to open in late 2023.
The City says it’s working on a plan to close the service gap, including extending the operating season of the community outdoor pools, relocating Canada Games Pool fitness equipment to Centennial Community Centre, and using private and community facilities to provide limited service offerings.
Canada Games Pool first opened in 1973.
“The City of New Westminster acknowledges the significant loss and impact on the community and our organization,” the City said. “Canada Games Pool has served our community for almost 50 years and a team of professionals worked to explore all possible options to extend the service life of this valued facility. While Canada Games Pool is being decommissioned sooner than expected, we look forward to the successful completion and opening of the new təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre.”