A global pandemic put a damper on public swimming pools in 2020, and it was no different for Campbell River’s Centennial Pool.
The summer hotspot on 4th Avenue was left empty, after it was shut down due to public health restrictions.
With the facility starting to show its age, a closure wasn’t all bad news. Construction crews were able to upgrade the pool without having to work around patrons.
A big white tent covered the pool for the better part of 2020, which helped crews to complete some major upgrades, retrofits and repairs. They also fixed a number of cracks along the rim of the pool.
However, crews aren’t done yet, as Mayor Andy Adams says there are two parts to the project.
“There’s two functions there… one is getting the pool in a safe, upgraded operating capacity, and the next is a complete rebuild and redesign of the change rooms,” he says.
According to Adams, the design work for the change rooms will be completed sometime this year. But with all of the capital projects going on around town, he says the planned upgrades won’t come to fruition until at least 2022.
Swimmers should keep their hopes up though, as Adams adds the pool can be opened “as is” this coming summer. That’s if the province allows it, of course.
