The Canada Games Aquatic Centre (Photo via City of Kamloops)
The head coach of the Kamloops Classic Swim Team is hoping to see a new indoor pool built on the North Shore in the future.
Brad Dalke says he’s had some early conversations with the City, noting this new pool will be something that benefits the community at large, and not just the swim team.
“You’ll have senior citizens going and working out in a warmer body of water,” Dalke said.
“The main tank at the Canada Games Pool is kept at 80 degrees (26.7 C) so that people can do their training, not just my swim club kids, but also triathletes, the various different clubs, the aquacise classes and all that kind of stuff.”
Dalke though says he understands that there are other recreational projects like the Performing Arts Centre ahead in the queue.
“The arts centre is a big focus for the city. I’m not an arts guy but it is really important,” Dalke said. “The swim pool is absolutely critical. It is a really good low impact, easy place to be working out for elderly people for sure.”
A new swimming pool that focuses on recreation-based aquatics is part of the City’s Recreation Master Plan, with staff recommending that a feasibility study be done first.
“The City is beginning to do their due diligence similar to what took place with the TCC,” Dalke said. “We’ve had some conversations and there is stuff starting to take place but it is a little bit vague right at this particular point in time.”
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- Photo via City of Kamloops
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- Photo via City of Kamloops
There are currently three indoor pools in Kamloops – the Canada Games Pool at the Tournament Capital Centre, the Westsyde Pool, and the Kamloops YMCA-YWCA Pool.
There is also an outdoor pool in Brocklehurst Pool, and several splash parks at Westsyde Centennial Park, Albert McGowan Park, McDonald Park, and Riverside Park, and a wading pool at Prince Charles Park.
“Since I’ve come to Kamloops, basically we’ve had two bodies of water shutdown,” Dalke said. “The outdoor pool at Riverside Park and then the McDonald outdoor pool was also shutdown and decommissioned, plus our population has grown significantly.”
“So something squared off over on the North Shore would be incredibly valuable.”
