Greater Vernon’s aquatic centre is undergoing repairs but there is a call for another pool in town. The Vernon Kokanee Swim Club is floating the concept of
a 53-metre pool with eight to 10 lanes that could be used by both its
members and the public. “The City of Vernon, District of Coldstream and Areas B
and C are seeing some conflict in pool time between public use and the
VKSC and a larger pool would alleviate this concern,” said Nives
Sullivan, VKSC president, in a letter to the Greater Vernon Advisory
Committee, which oversees recreation issues. The current lap pool is 25 metres with eight lanes. GVAC recently decided to spend $1.7 million on repairs
to the Vernon Recreation Complex, with most of the work at the pool,
which was renovated and expanded in 1993. Besides alleviating demands between the club and the
public, Sullivan says a new facility would help attract swim meets,
which can bring up to 600 athletes per event. “This provides direct economic impact to the local
community,” said Sullivan, who doesn’t establish a timeline for possibly
having a second pool in place. In promoting a second pool, the club points to GVAC’s
2004 recreation master plan, which indicated the need for a new pool
within 10 years. “The VKSC is ready and willing to be part of the
solution to the North Okanagan’s pool and recreation complex decisions
and would welcome the opportunity to be directly involved in issues
related to this now and in the future,” said Sullivan. A recent GVAC study states Greater Vernon’s population may not require a second aquatic centre until 2026 or 2030. “You can’t fund it if you don’t have a big enough tax base,” said director Rob Sawatzky. “It’s not just building them but operating them.” Director Catherine Lord doesn’t believe a new pool can proceed now. “Given these economic times, it wouldn’t be feasible,”
she said, adding that there are also calls for a new sports complex,
museum and art gallery. “There is so much pressure. It makes it difficult for the board to pull things together.” GVAC will pursue a needs assessment and feasibility study for a new aquatics/recreation complex by 2015.
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There’s no question the Vernon Kokanee Swim Club is considering what’s best for its members, sport and the community as a whole. A new 53-metre pool with eight to 10 lanes would
provide an ideal setting for young athletes, possibly propelling them
towards the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. There would also be an
opportunity to host more swim meets, bolstering Vernon’s reputation for
sports tourism. However, beyond periods when both the club and
recreational swimmers are competing for space, recreation officials
state only half of the capacity of the current pool area is used
overall. A recent study also indicates the local population
isn’t growing enough to require a second aquatic centre until 2026 or
2030. Demographics not only provide users but, more importantly, the tax
base necessary to pay for such facilities. It should also be pointed out that it was in 1993 that
millions of dollars were invested in renovating and expanding the pool
into the attraction we now enjoy. In comparison, other amenities have
been allowed to lag and that means there are competing demands on
taxpayers’ dollars for a sports complex, museum and art gallery, not to
mention critical infrastructure like roads and water. A new aquatic centre isn’t going to occur over night
but if there is a positive, it is the swim club’s willingness to work
with local officials and the community to plan for the eventuality of a
new facility. And given that the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee
may launch a needs assessment by 2015, it’s good to know one partner
will be at the table.
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