Giant Step Backward

If there is one thing I must say about building a 25m pool is that it is a giant step backward for Kelowna. Currently, we only have one 25m pool for each 50,000 people, which is woefully inadequate, and yet on the other hand, we have doubled the number of ice surfaces in one shot.

Go figure. As it stands, swim clubs have great difficulty getting enough pool time alloted to them, and another 25m pool would do little to meet their competitive needs, as a 50m pool is needed to hold any national or international level event. As a result, we would be the only city in Canada with a population over 100,000 without a 50m pool.

Therefore, I would recommend to council not to even consider building a 25m pool. Our tax base can well afford the 5.6% increase in taxes that will be brought about as a result. We might as well bite the bullet and do it right this time by building a 50m pool, as the cost may jump to a prohibitive level next time the issue is revisited, therefore we would likely never see a 50m pool in our lifetimes.

Robert Hogue