Demolishing a building is as easy as smash, bang, wallop. Isn’t it?
Well, not always. In the case of the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre, those waiting for a wrecking fest will have to be patient.
Town Chief Administrative Officer Martin Taylor said an engineering firm will be preparing a report on decommissioning the building.
A big consideration will be the neighbouring curling rink, he said. What effect will demolition have on the wall shared with the pool?
“It is not as simple as bringing in the bulldozers,” said Taylor last Wednesday.
He added the report should be ready by late March.
Long before then, of course, the building will be stripped and cleaned.
Since the official Feb. 17 closure, pool items have been assigned different fates: some will be discarded as rubbish, some retained, some auctioned off.
Chemicals also have to be removed and the pool drained.
“It takes a lot of work to secure the building,” said Taylor.
Those most directly impacted by the pool closure – the staff – have begun to readjust their lives. Two full-time employees and 16 part-time or casual staff lost their jobs, among them Aquatics Supervisor Debbie Crossland, who was hired in December.
Staff have received severance packages and some have fortunately secured other positions in Westlock, Spruce Grove and Whitecourt.
Of course, Barrhead swimmers have also had to adapt to change, some choosing to go to Westlock.
Taylor said swimmers with Barrhead pool passes were being given refunds.
He added a piece about the pool closure would be included in the next Town newsletter.
Town councillors decided to shut the pool for the safety of citizens and staff.
They had opposed spending about $60,000 to carry out in-depth research into the extent of repairs needed at the mould-infested pool, believing it would amount to throwing good money after bad.
A 2011 review of the pool by Edmonton-based Architecture | Arndt Tkalcic Bengert identified several “critical” problems which needed immediate attention, including deteriorating roofing, walls and ceilings. The bill for bringing the facility up to standard was expected to top $5 million.
With the building closed, Mayor Gerry St. Pierre has called for the focus to be on building a new pool.
A location – once thought to be land at the corner of 49 Street and 58 Avenue, across from the Petro-Canada gas station – is open for discussion, he said. The option of the old site had not been ruled out.
Last week Taylor said there were pros and cons to rebuilding on the old site.
The pros were the ample parking spaces and the services, such as sewers. However, building within existing walls could pose challenges.
