New $16-million swimming pool for Uxbridge?
Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Amanda Ferraro, director of community services, gave council a report on Monday recommending construction of a new pool to replace the 50-year-old Uxpool.
An artistic rendering of how the new pool could look, without the membrane that would act as a roof for the structure. Image taken from the report submitted to Township of Uxbridge council.
Ferraro estimated the cost of the new pool would be around $16 million, with $8 million hopefully coming from a provincial grant and the rest being footed by the Township. She said there would be no money for the project from the regional government. She said the cost of constructing a new pool using what was called Myrtha/Sprung technology would be less than half the cost of a traditional construction, adding it would not be economical to keep investing in the old building. She said Uxpool is safe and still usable, but the cost of maintaining it is too high.
The report said the new pool would use new, non-traditional construction methods using modular, pre-engineered technology. Ferraro said Sprung Structures is a Canadian company and both the aluminum structure and fabric covering will be manufactured in Canada. While Myrtha is based in Italy, it operates a Canadian subsidiary, Myrtha Pools Canada. As a result, there would be no tariffs on the construction materials.
Ferraro said the Township submitted an application Feb. 1 for a provincial grant from the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) to build a structure that includes an 8x25-metre pool, a 10x15-metre therapy pool and a multi-sport space.
Ferraro’s report showed that the proposed new pool would take up most of the space that is occupied by the current pool and the adjacent ball diamond.
Councillor Pam Beach was enthusiastic.
"This is fantastic," she said. "We need it badly."
Mayor Dave Barton opined that situating the new pool on the current Uxpool site would be a better location than the Fields of Uxbridge, which had initially been selected as the site for a new pool. However, he commented that he did not find the design "aesthetically pleasing."