Grant White says he’s looking forward to greeting people when Yellowknife’s new aquatic centre opens on Monday next week.
The city’s director of community services, White said he has been working on the project since 2016.
“It’s been a long project and we’re excited to open up for the community,” he said.
White and Johanna Elliot, the city’s facilities manager, gave reporters a preview of the new centre on Wednesday,
“I’m excited to see it full of people,” Elliot said.
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Elliot highlighted accessible features that will allow everyone to enjoy the new facility.
That includes a sling to help people with mobility issues, water wheelchairs, electronic doors, accessible universal changerooms and washrooms, and a ramp in each pool.
“We tried to make it as easy as possible for people to come alone,” Elliot said.
In a Facebook post earlier this week, the NWT Disabilities Council said it was “clear that the city and designers kept recommendations from disabled persons in mind.”
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“A lot of thought went into this and it invites all to dive right in,” the disabilities council stated.
Elliot said one of her favourite parts of the new centre is that it offers several pools with different temperatures compared to the former Ruth Inch Memorial Pool.
Ruth Inch “was one pool at one temperature. We had to keep it at somewhere that wasn’t good for anyone,” she said.
The new facility offers:
- a therapy pool – essentially a bigger hot tub that allows people to move around;
- a 25-metre, eight-lane lap pool with one-metre and three-metre diving boards;
- a 25-metre, three-lane lap pool with basketball nets; and
- a lazy river with splash elements that allows people to float with the current or walk against it for exercise.
Behind the scenes, Elliot said the facility uses not only chlorine but also UV and state-of-the-art filters to disinfect water and keep it clean.
“We should be able to operate at a level of chlorine that’s a little lower” than the old pool, she said.
Other features in the new centre that differ from the former pool include a splash area, larger steam room, two slides, and bleachers that will allow parents to watch swimming lessons and swim meets while leaving space on the deck for more swimmers.
The centre features a large screen above the lap pool that can display swim meet results, as well as touch pads to provide accurate racing times.
“We’re excited to have meets here and the club seems quite excited about the equipment as well,” Elliot said, adding a meet is planned for the first weekend the centre is open.
Patrons of the aquatic centre can also look forward to a canteen that will be operated by My African Cuisine and design elements inspired by the North and Indigenous culture.
