Cambridge council approves $1.2M rebuild of Ed Newland Pool

By Doug Coxson

Work to rebuild the Ed Newland Pool will begin at the end of the season after council approved a major funding boost to a planned refurbishment that will allow for the complete redesign of the nearly-90-year-old Preston pool.

The $1.2 million upgrade will convert the existing two-tank design of the pool to a single-tank with a graduated entry, making it more accessible and efficient to operate.

The new budget represents an increase of $757,741, but as Coun. Mike Mann said in his support of the recommendation from staff, it makes the pool “more accessible and more inclusive of our community” and becomes a far greater “placemaking facility.”

Staff view the investment as an “opportunity to create a true destination facility for the city” knowing that with the anticipated closure of George Hancock Pool in 2025, the Ed Newland Pool will become the city’s only outdoor pool. 

The city closed the 60-year-old Kinsmen Pool in Soper Park at the end of last season as it sought ideas from residents on how to redevelop the site for public use. Those plans are still in the works.

The city’s oldest pool, popularly known as “Eddie’s” was last refurbished in 1999.

The city had planned on replacing the pool liners, making repairs to the deck surface, and replacing the pool lines, returns and inlets with an approved 2022 capital budget of $462,600, funded from the city’s facility maintenance reserve. The work will update the circulation system, enhancing water quality and requiring less stress on the system.

Since then, the city received a grant from the Community Building Fund – Capital Stream with the Ontario Trillium Foundation for $376,400. Costs for the original scope of the project have also increased over the last year due to inflationary pressures and supply chain issues. 

Those factors prompted staff to rethink the project’s original scope with a goal to make the pool more accessible and reduce operating costs.

Some of those additional costs relate to the glare on the water of the dive tank when viewed from the lifeguard chair of the main tank. It either requires two guards on staff or the second tank needs to be signed not in use.

Historically the dive tank had not been well utilized.

One tank also reduces the total heated water volume by 115,000 US gallons, resulting in lower energy and water costs, as well as associated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Staff said the graduated entry enlarges the shallow space, which will allow for the addition of water features for young swimmers.

The size of the new one-tank pool will also allow for a deep-end dive area, said Coun. Mann, making the redesign truly inclusive of all abilities. 

The zero-entry pool removes the need for accessible lifts, portable tot docks and extraneous expenditures, staff said, while increasing the number of programs the pool can offer. 

The heated outdoor community pool is open approximately 12 weeks a year, 10 hours per day. For the last five years the pool has averaged close to 10,000 swimmers annually. 

In 2021, attendance at the pool was the highest it has been, demonstrating the importance of the pool as an appealing outdoor amenity for families, reads a staff report. 

Coun. Jan Liggett said she is thankful staff was able to come up with a plan that works so well in light of the recent and planned closures of the city’s other outdoor pools.

“I just wish we hadn’t made the decisions to close the other two at the cost of those living nearby,” she added.

In order to have the work complete in time for the 2023 summer season, the liner will be ordered immediately to accommodate anticipated supply chain issues.

The Trillium grant requires project completion by June of 2023 with the possibility of a two-month extension if needed.

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