Swim club calls for major Uxpool expenditure

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Members of the Uxbridge Swim Club made a presentation to council on Monday calling for a $12-million rebuild of Uxpool. However, council's reception was less than enthusiastic.

Sarah Steinke, head coach of the swim club, said the club wants to see a "functional, accessible and inclusive" facility built, rather than just installing a therapy pool and new change rooms, which the township is considering. She claimed the township has budgeted $12 million for the renovation, with 50 per cent being funded by Uxbridge, and added that the money could be used better in building a new facility. She said a renovation project would take about a year and impact the club's activities, as well as see Uxpool employees out of work for a year.

Club official Scott Briggs said now is an opportunity to make major improvements, adding that the current six-lane pool is not conducive to competitive events.

The pair showed a series of slides illustrating other pools built in various locations around the province for around the same amount of money. However, regional councillor Bruce Garrod went to his computer and found that one of the examples shown actually involved covering an already existing outdoor pool. He also remarked that he didn't know what the swim club had based their budget on.

Community services director Amanda Ferraro told the Cosmos a week earlier that township staff are still considering just what renovations are needed at the pool and no firm decisions have yet been made. Nor has she yet made a report to council on the proposed project.

After the swim club's presentation, Mayor Dave Barton said the township had reached out to the public for feedback on proposed changes, adding: "We're a small community with financial restraints."

Councillor Willie Popp, commenting on Steinke's claim that the swim club has been providing input to Uxpool, asked: "If you're working with staff, why are you here today?"