The District of Sparwood will be closing the pool this spring to address ongoing water loss issues.
Originally built in 1984, the pool is beginning to show signs of its age. Over the years, water loss from the pool has escalated to an unsustainable level and action needs to be taken to prevent critical failures or further infrastructure damage. After months of investigation and diligent work to track the source of the leaks, it has been determined that the water loss is most likely from the underwater lights and speakers, which have not been operational for a considerable period of time and parts for these systems are now obsolete. Additionally, there are deficiencies with the hot tub resulting in water loss and tile damage which need to be promptly addressed. Hot tub work will be completed under warranty by the original contractor.
To address this water loss, an advanced planning closure will begin from Friday, March 28 to Tuesday, April 1 where the pool water level will be dropped and full removal and assessment of a light and speaker will occur. In addition, the planned 6 to 8 week biennial pool maintenance shutdown which was scheduled to start June 15 will be advanced to begin on April 14 and extend until June 29 to allow for adequate time to properly address the water loss issues as well as undertake the regular pool maintenance that was planned for the closure. Should the work be completed earlier, the pool will re-open sooner. The playschool, fitness centre, courts and climbing wall will remain open as normal. For patrons who have passes, the duration of the passes will be extended for the length of the closure.
“Council is very aware of what an important and valued amenity our pool is to the community, and that’s why it is critical that we focus on proper maintenance and repairs to preserve the long-term sustainability of our aquatic facilities. As with any infrastructure of this age and the known challenges with water loss from the pool, Council has anticipated and budgeted for this work to be done. We understand that it is never an ideal situation to have to close the pool, but doing the work now will prevent the problems from worsening, which in turn, could require higher costs and longer closures to repair,” says Sparwood Mayor David Wilks.
Council and the Community Services Team would like to extend their thanks to the public for patience and understanding during this closure period and look forward to welcoming patrons back in the pool this summer. Updates can be found on the District website, social media pages and at sparwood.recdesk.com.
Post Date: March 7, 2025 | Category: News & Updates Send Notification