Fredericton’s city council has recently voted to consider various options for a new aquatics center this autumn, while also addressing age-related issues at two current pools used by the public until a new facility is established.
The council has allocated funds for renovations at the Fredericton Indoor Pool in Nashwaaksis and is collaborating with the University of New Brunswick to enhance the Sir Max Aitken Pool. According to Sara DeGrace, the city’s deputy chief administrative officer, the Aitken pool has surpassed its useful lifespan, the indoor pool requires significant retrofitting, and the YMCA pool is operating at near full capacity, leading to considerable strain on Fredericton’s aquatic capacity.
Efforts to stagger the indoor pool retrofit with the construction of a new aquatics center before addressing the Aitken pool were hindered by funding challenges and local governance reforms in 2023. Despite attempts to involve neighboring municipalities in sharing the cost of a new pool, these efforts were unsuccessful.
The city plans to compile and analyze various options for the new aquatics center, including a proposed $81 million facility at the Grant-Harvey Centre, with the final decision expected later this fall. The financial contribution from Fredericton towards the new pool will be contingent on securing appropriate federal and provincial funding.
In the interim, the council has approved a grant of $57,500 for the repair of the Aitken pool, covering half the expenses for fixing the pool walls, deck, and waterproofing. The funds are sourced from identified corporate savings. Originally slated for decommissioning in 2017, the Aitken pool has remained operational under an agreement with the city contributing $290,000 annually for its maintenance.
While the retrofit of the indoor pool is estimated to cost $15 million, with $9 million to be borrowed from the Municipal Capital Borrowing Board and the remainder funded by the federal government under the Building Communities Strong Fund, DeGrace mentioned that construction at the Fredericton Indoor Pool could commence in April 2028, leading to a 12 to 18-month closure period.
Mayor Steve Hicks emphasized that the repair work on the existing pools does not diminish the urgency of constructing a new aquatics center. He assured that the council is diligently progressing towards securing partnerships and funding for the new facility to address the long-term aquatic needs of the community.