April 17, 2023 at 6:40 am
On Monday, Sarnia City Council will consider moving forward with a revised concept plan to guide future investment decisions for Germanic Park.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said the design now includes a new accessible outdoor pool facility.
“If you look at the history of Jackson Pool, it’s clear that the community supports the pool’s continued existence, and that it should never have deteriorated to the extent it is now,” Bradley said. “The previous council directed that they wish to consider Jackson Pool. Council believes , it didn’t get the attention it deserved in the consultant’s report. So the council is sending a very strong message that we want to talk about the cost of that pool.”
A staff report estimated the pool’s cost to be as high as $6 million, with projected annual operating costs similar to Tecumseh Park’s outdoor pool, which is about $180,000 per year.
“It will be part of a larger plan that involves children’s areas, multi-venue sports and a new gymnasium that will go into the Strongway Centre,” Bradley said.
If the pool goes ahead for budget deliberations, other projects would have to be adjusted or canceled in favor of the project, Bradley said.
“I think having a swimming pool is a brilliant idea,” he said. “Splash pads are great, but they don’t teach kids to swim. It’s also nice to have these types of amenities in some parts of the city that have lost them. Let’s put that back and leave it to the next generation.”
Bradley said there is a plan to stagger projects to move them forward.
“What happens at the end, if this pool project goes ahead, we’re going to have a first-class sports center and a community center around Germaine Park. That’s a big step forward for me, the federal government, the provincial government And our own money is heavily invested, in fact, it’s time for us to renew these particular assets in the city,” Bradley said.
Sarnia City Council will consider advancing the conceptual design for the swimming pool, children’s area, outdoor multi-ball playground and dog park and will return with cost estimates and plans for consideration as part of the 2024 capital budget process.
A design proposal was also proposed for the new sports hall at the Strangway Centre.
A revised artist’s rendering of the preferred concept shows the park’s five ballparks will remain.
Monteith Brown Planning Consultants has removed the proposed indoor multi-use recreational facility from the plans.