Dear editor,
With our move back to the Sports Centre Pool after more than five months of squeezing into the Aquatic Centre as the community had to deal with the closure and repair of the facility, the Comox Valley Aquatic Club would like to thank the community and Comox Valley Regional District for their support and patience through the Fall and Winter.
Although our evening pool space was reduced to only 65 per cent of what we had planned, we managed to continue to provide access to all Shark swimmers.
The Sports Centre pool closure amplified the need for the CVRD to start developing an adequate replacement/expansion plan right now to support the region’s aquatic needs for coming generations. Although the Sports Centre pool is now open it does not change the fact that its lifespan will end in the next five to 10 years as the facility turns 50 years old next year. With the loss of the 25m pool at the Sports Centre, the aquatic needs for the area were not even close to being able to be serviced properly this past fall and winter.
The community managed through these last five months with one facility but saw morning and evening lap swim all but eliminated, user group access reduced by almost 50 per cent, lesson programs condensed or cancelled and other aquatic activities offered less frequently. In order to have an adequate 25m or 50m replacement pool in place for when the Sports Centre does come to the end of its productive lifespan, planning must start now and shovels in the ground sooner than later.
As the Comox Valley Regional District and City of Courtenay work on their Sports Centre Pool and Outdoor Pool replacement strategy it is imperative they make the proper decisions for the future generations of the Comox Valley to have the opportunity for a safe and active lifestyle in and around the water of the Comox Valley, be it striving for Olympic glory or learning life skills to be safe at the beach. Functional facility planning for the next 50 years starts now and proper planning and the correct choices of facility planning are imperative for the growth, health and recreational choices for the residents of the Comox Valley.
Tyler Lewall,
Head coach, Comox Valley Aquatic Club