Beltline resident ‘disappointed’ with city proposal to close pool

Article content

A father whose six-year-old daughter has been swimming at the Beltline community pool her entire life says it’s “disappointing” the city has no plans to reopen the facility when public health measures relax.

A new report, heading to a city council committee on Wednesday, recommends the Beltline Aquatic & Fitness Centre close its pool permanently due to “high operating costs and low usage” but remains focused on “community programming” when doors open again.

“I knew the Beltline pool had financial constraints but, certainly, I’m disappointed,” said Matthew Greer, who lives in the Beltline with his wife and young daughter. “Our daughter learned to swim there. She’s had a birthday party there. She learned to swim laps on her own there.”

Greer said having other families in the Beltline is important but losing amenities, like the pool, could draw people to the suburbs rather than the core.

Article content

If the plan moves forward, it would be the second aquatic amenity to shutter downtown following the shutdown of the Eau Claire YMCA earlier this year.

Conversations about the future of the Beltline and Inglewood community pools have been ongoing since a city report in November 2019 said it was too pricey to save either facility. City leaders managed to keep them open on a “use it or lose it basis” prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the future is again uncertain.

Now, the committee on community and protective services is recommending council direct administration to approve $400,000 in one-time funding for both the Beltline facility and the Inglewood Aquatic Centre to allow community use while the Repsol Sport Centre undergoes renovations.

While the Beltline pool is billed to close, they recommend the Inglewood pool reopen with increased prime-time use on evening and weekends under the condition it meets tax support per visit targets. It will close regardless when Repsol’s aquatic amenities are ready for use.

Peter Oliver, president of the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association, said it’s disappointing the city won’t keep the Beltline pool open until the Repsol facility is upgraded, given the Eau Claire YMCA’s closure.

“I can’t imagine they are saving lots of money doing this,” said Oliver. “It still is a community asset, so it (would) make a ton of sense to have a smooth transition over to something more modern.”

Article content

He said it’s important the City of Calgary supports inner-city development related to recreation, as it has in the suburbs, so central areas remain attractive for long-term living.

“That’s going to benefit the whole city overall in helping maintain a healthy property tax base here that pay for services all over the city,” said Oliver.

Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra, who represents Inglewood residents, said the proposal is good news for the local community.

“The dream of being able to keep the Inglewood pool open long enough to be able to replace it with an even better offering for inner-city families is an awesome outcome,” said Carra.

“We’re not done firming up what the whole suite of recreational opportunities for the community will be, but we are certainly taking a lot of steps in the right direction with this report.”

alsmith@postmedia.com

Twitter: @alanna_smithh