County of Barrhead Reeve Bill Lee remarked to participants of the Barrhead Aquatic Centre information sessions, held in both Summerdale Hall and the Senior’s Drop-In Centre in Barrhead, during his opening comments, that residents had lots of questions about the old pool, the new pool, and lots of unrelated things in-between.
One such question, poised by a county resident, asked whether or not the money that was being put towards the new proposed structure could not have been better used upgrading the older facility.
“The old pool served the community for many years,” Town of Barrhead Coun. Ryan Warehime said, and added that by the time the aging facility was at the end of its life, it was definitely in need of some maintenance. “Everyone is aware of that,” he said.
“As for why it got that way, there are probably five or six councils that have come and gone, both in the town and the county, that would have to answer those types of questions.”
According to Barrhead Mayor Gerry St. Pierre, the life expectancy of a facility such as the old aquatic centre is roughly 45 years. “Especially one that had been built as an outdoor pool originally and was then housed as an indoor pool several years afterward, this one lasted for 45 years,” he said, and added that the old facility had done its time.
“We were told in 2011 that if we wanted to get a few more years out of it, we would have to spend at least $5 million. Are we going to throw good money after bad? No, it was time to build a new pool period.”
According to Sue Keenan, director of parks and recreation, the town instead opted to begin the process of this current project, and, working in conjunction with organizations such as Making Waves, paid for the cost of printing brochures.
“We didn’t have anything to do with the buttons or shirts,” Keenan said, and added that it was important to make all of the information available to the public, to ensure it was as accurate as possible.
“We deemed it our responsibility to communicate with the community, the residents of the town and the county, accurately and to ensure that the material was printed as clearly and accurately as possible,” St. Pierre said. “Making Waves were responsible for the distribution of the brochures, however, and they are the ones who took on that responsibility at their own expense.”
