With a new facility set to rise on Quadra, many wonder how long they can swim the lanes at Crystal Pool in Victoria.
The short answer is a while longer at least.
After years of conversation and deliberation, Victoria will build the replacement building on the existing site with an expected opening date of 2030. That means the old building must come down, but plans are in the earliest phases, with a concept design and technical studies underway.
Other key tasks include procurement of project management and construction management services, grant applications and interim recreation services planning, the city says in its quarterly update for the project. Progress so far is on track with the schedule and budget.
Staff continue to work with municipal partners to research comparable projects that are recently complete or underway to gain insights into emerging trends and lessons learned in community recreation facility design and construction.
The new pool is expected to include a 50-metre pool, leisure pool with 25-metre lanes, a shallow play area and play features including a lazy river, two hot tubs, sauna, steam room and seating areas. The recreation centre will feature a large fitness studio, multipurpose rooms for other activities such as dance and art, community gathering spaces, plus universal washroom and change room options.
While the team works on a confirmation of the construction schedule, the current expectation is design would take 21 months. Construction would take another 41 months, including eight months of demolition at the start, with the facility slated to open 62 months, or about 5 years, after the start of the project.
The timeline and plans for closure are expected to be refined later this year.
Public pool shortage is a hot topic across Greater Victoria with UVic’s McKinnon closed in Saanich, and Crystal in Victoria slated for closure and demolition to build its replacement, likewise the YMCA pool on Quadra at Broughton.
That leaves public pools at Saanich Commonwealth and Gordon Head pools, Panorama in North Saanich, Oak Bay Recreation Centre on Bee Street near the Victoria border, Esquimalt Recreation Centre, Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre in Colwood, the Langford YMCA/YWCA in Westhills.
Read the full quarterly update at crystalpool.ca.
