Kamloops city staff now have the full picture for a major renovation that’s going to happen this year at the Canada Games Pool.

The pool is expected to be closed from late June to Jan. 2, 2021, while nearly $13.49 million worth of work takes place.

“Huge impact, we don’t to shut this thing down for six months. We’re going to do the best we can to deliver sooner. We know we have major swim meets planned, and then there’s impacts to swim groups and people trying to learn how to swim. So we’re taking this one seriously, that’s for sure,” capital projects manager Darren Crundwell tells NL News.

He says city staff have been working with user groups and businesses who will be affected, and a report from city staff says all affected members will be reimbursed and hours will be expanded at other facilities.

The original project was to replace critical infrastructure for $9 million, which includes replacing the roof, the HVAC system, the electrical and mechanical systems and boilers and lighting. That cost is now $9.97 million.

Crundwell says other parts of the building will be re-done now as well, including the change rooms, the entrance, the hot tub, sauna, steamroom and other facilities.

That additional work will total $3.51 million. Crundwell says those facilities are now nearly 30 years old the upgrades will be needed in the near future anyways, and he says doing it now is the least disruptive approach.

“We could deliver a $9-million-dollar project, but that’s not the best value for the city, especially for the users of that facility. It’s exceeded it’s business case by more than 300 per cent. It’s busy, so we have to keep that in mind and make sure we’re doing everything we can.”

The city also says it could be able to get $2.5 million worth of grants for the work, because the scope of “significant sustainability and accessibility improvements” that are part of the work.