Accommodating people who use the Ladner Leisure Centre’s swimming pool has been challenging for the City of Delta as a major repair is about to get underway.
Effective March 27 through Oct. 1, the aquatic centre will be closed for mandatory roof repairs.
According to the city, regular-length swimmers, Aquafitters and water-walkers will be able to complete their circuits and classes at the Ladner outdoor pool, which is opening earlier this year on March 27.
Delta’s other indoor aquatic centres at the Sungod Recreation Centre in North Delta and Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre in Tsawwassen will also be available to accommodate swimmers.
The Sungod pool will also be returning to a full public swim schedule starting March 27, which will provide public swimming opportunities alongside swimming lessons.
Meanwhile, swimming lessons that would normally take place at the Ladner Leisure Centre will be held at Winskill.
However, not all classes, particularly the Adapted Swim Lesson program, which provides one-on-one instruction between an instructor and someone with special needs, was moved into Winskill.
A parent of one child who is in the Ladner program recently contacted the Optimist upset about the situation, although the Tsawwassen pool also offers the program, albeit in fewer time slots.
City manager Sean McGill explained that the program is operated out of three facilities in Delta: Sungod Recreation Centre (nine spaces), Ladner Leisure Centre (10 spaces) and Winskill Aquatic Centre (two spaces).
“In South Delta this year the program is, unfortunately, being impacted by the closure at the Ladner Leisure Centre, as are other programs typically held at the facility,” said McGill. “However, the program is still operating, albeit at a slightly lower capacity. We have been able to accommodate a total of six spaces at the Winskill Aquatic Centre during the LLC closure and Sungod’s classes remain at the same capacity as previously. In total, we are offering 15 spaces for the program during the closure.
“A key component of this program is offering ‘one-on-one’ training for our swimmers, so staff availability and pool space is critically important. The city’s goal is to open up more spaces for this valued and important program as pool space and instructors become available.”
McGill said the closure of the LLC is putting pressure on all aquatic programs in Delta as programming has had to be shifted to other pools.
He said he is proud of city staff and their efforts to find workable solutions to allow the maximum opportunities to continue for all swimmers and programs during this spring/summer season.
“We also know that unfortunately there will be some impacts to residents and, while we are doing our best to mitigate them, staff availability and pool space will have limitations. That being said, we continue to look for options and I have asked staff to keep trying, but safety, which includes the need to close the Ladner Leisure Centre and for all swimmers in our other pools is paramount,” said McGill.
