Bluefins gearing up for return to Sportsplex pool

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/06/2016 (3574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If all goes well, the Brandon Bluefins Swim Club will finally be able to dive back into the Sportsplex pool by the end of the month.

The club has been without its home pool since last July, when construction on the $4-million renovation project began.

“Our numbers have definitely been down, which means our amount of money that we’re working with has also substantially gone down,” said Bluefins board member Jodee Webster.

While renovations are being undertaken, the club has been able use the pool at CFB Shilo’s recreation centre; however, it has meant substantially less pool time available for swimmers. The inconvenience of driving out to Shilo also deterred many families from signing up for lessons this year, but the competitive swimming numbers have remained consistent.

“It’s just been a toll, driving out there two, three times per week,” said Webster, whose 14-year-old daughter Addison is an avid swimmer in the competitive program. “To have your kids at the pool at 5 p.m., you’re having to carpool and leave work early and things like that.”

The club was initially forecasting a $10,000 shortfall. However, thanks to fundraising efforts, Webster said it is not expected to be that substantial. The Bluefins are also hoping to secure corporate sponsorship from local businesses.

“I’ve gone out and places have shown interest but have not committed yet, so it’s just a matter of getting back out there,” Webster said.

The pool renovation includes several components — painting the entire space, replacing the pool water circulation system and the pool air handling unit, installing grating over the irregular pool edge, installing new lighting and replacing the bulkhead.

The project has faced several delays due to some hurdles along the way. The original timeline suggested a winter opening, which was then bumped to spring and finally summer.

The challenges relate to integrating new components into an older building. The Sportsplex was built in 1978 to host the 1979 Canada Winter Games.

“The kids are excited. We actually were given a tour at our last board meeting, just to kind of see where they’re at and what it’s looking like,” Webster said. “It’s going to be very nice once it’s all completed.”

Perry Roque, the city’s director of community services, said they anticipate a significant response from the community once the pool is reopened.

“We’ve had lots of interest from the public … people wondering when it’s going to be reopened, and when they can come back to do their lap swimming and register their kids for swimming lessons,” he said. “So we anticipate that we’ll see lots of people coming out to use the pool again.”

Roque said the tiling work in the pool tank is nearly complete, which replaces the previous vinyl liner.

“With the new mechanical system and the new pool tiles, we expect that we’ll be able to maintain water quality and ensure that we’re meeting the new public health regulations with the new system,” Roque said.

The pool’s opening date for the general public is slated for July 4.

» jaustin@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @jillianaustin