Elliot Lake City Council received an update report about the Ruben Yli-Juuti Pool at last night’s council meeting. The two-page written report dated December 9, was added to the council agenda by addendum.
Director of Recreation and Culture, Kari Kluke, provided a verbal overview updating the council and citizens about a recreation facility that many Elliot Lakers have been inquiring about and wanting to see reopen, since it closed more than two years ago.
When will it reopen?
About the question council and citizens most want to ask – when it will reopen? Kluke said, “we can potentially be able to open and have some swims in the small pool and the big pool starting as early as next week.”
Because some issues are still to be resolved, it is “not guaranteed.”
Deficiencies the staff are addressing
Kluke described the recent progress including an inspection by Algoma Public Health (APH) on November 14. She explained that when a pool is “closed for more than 30 days, you have to have it inspected by the local health unit and cleared.”
Most of the list of minor deficiencies noted by APH were achievable, Kluke said, adding that the large pool has been approved by APH.
“So, we've welcomed the Elliot Lake Secondary School (ELSS) swim team to begin practicing. It's helped our staff be able to address and become more familiar with balancing with the new system as well."
“And it's also allowed the ELSS swim team to meet the minimum of practices required for them to be able to compete for their season,” Kluke said.
Currently outstanding issues
Two washrooms: a family change room and also the women's washroom, require regulating valves to control the maximum water temperature which Kluke described as “scalding hot water … right now," and an issue of "public safety."
Kluke reported that the delay of acquiring the special valves and plumbers to install them, is adding a week or two to the schedule to have these facilities ready for the public.
Hot tub mixing jet nozzles also require replacement and it is underway. “I don't anticipate it being much longer of a delay,” Kluke said.
Councillors Flintoff and Seidel inquired regarding whether these items were covered by the original contract. Kluke advised that staff are clarifying answers to those questions.
Opening in stages
The rec and culture director described “a soft opening,” of the facilities.
“We can continue to move forward and slowly welcome programming. We continue to want to invite new programming at a limited amount is kind of our goal as we move forward, to make sure our staff are comfortable with Ontario regulations as well as working and lifeguarding at a pool again,” she said.
Huge project. ‘Be patient as we open this pool slowly’
Councillor Helen Lefebvre noted, “This has been a huge project. The building has been shut for quite a while. I think, you know, using the approach of having a soft opening, personally, I would ask the public to be patient as we open this pool slowly.”
“It's not going to be a big bang. I think the staff have been doing what they can to make sure that we can open this as soon as possible.”
“I'm glad to see that, you know, we've accommodated the high school and we're starting to use it slowly,” Lefebvre added.