Concept design of the leisure pool facility in the Active Living Centre (Image credit: City of Vernon)

By Liam Verster

Referendum

Features of new ALC pool outlined

Sep 21, 2022 | 5:00 AM

The City of Vernon is providing residents with more information about what will — and what won’t — be included in the pool facilities at the proposed Active Living Centre (ALC).

In the latest information release leading to the Oct. 15 referendum, the city said the conceptual drawings don’t show many fixed aquatic play features for the proposed pool.

The reasoning behind not including play features was based on public input gathered for both the 2018 Greater Vernon Recreation Master Plan and the Active Living Centre Feasibility Study, that showed the pool needs to meet the aquatic needs of a growing community while also being able to host events.

The proposed plan does not include permanent fixed amenities such as a wave pool or wave rider, but does include primarily portable play features. The city noted that permanent fixtures tend to lose public appeal after time and can be expensive to maintain.

The city stated other play features like slides, interactive sprays, bubblers, a rock climbing wall, water walking mat and rope swing, as well as portable amenities such as an inflatable floating obstacle course, can be used for recreational activities and play. Which play features will be included in the final facility plan will be decided following another round of public engagement if the referendum is passed.

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The proposed plan also includes pools that would be maintained similarly to those in the Vernon Aquatic Centre.

The existing lap pool is kept at a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Farenheit ). When there is a swim meet, the temperature is lowered to 26.67 degrees C (80 F), then raised back up following the competition.

The current leisure pool is set at 31.5 C (88.7 F), and the proposed leisure pool in the ALC would be set at a similar temperature. That pool would also include three 25 metre lanes for people to use for activities such as aqua therapy and pre-school swim lessons.

The proposed plan for the new facility would also see two hot tubs built. One would be kept at 40 C (104 F), which is the same temperature as the current hot tub at the Aquatics Centre, and the other would be set at 33.88 C (102 F) for families to use comfortably.

Vernon residents will get to vote on borrowing up to $121-million to develop the ALC when they go to the polls for the 2022 Local General Election on October 15.