‘We just can’t afford it’: Pitt Meadows not building new pool

A new aquatics facility is not coming to Pitt Meadows, following a unanimous vote by city council on Tuesday night. 

Months after reviewing two pool proposals at both Harris Road Park and Pitt Meadows Athletic Park, the city decided the benefits of a new facility weren’t worth the expected tax hike. 

“We understand this may not be the news some of our residents would like to hear,” stated Mayor Nicole MacDonald in a press release. “However, it is the responsibility of council and city staff to ensure the responsible management of taxpayer funds.” 

A new indoor pool at Pitt Meadows Athletic Park, the preferred option by residents according to a feasibility study from last year, was expected to cost up to $60 million. 

Single family households would have faced an annual tax hike of $1,200 per year for 40 years, plus costs to maintain the facility for years to come. 

A new outdoor pool at Harris Road Park was slated to cost $39 million and lead to a $630 annual tax increase for residents.

“It is expected that after the pool’s estimated useful life, taxpayers would continue with equivalent annual tax contributions to maintain pool service level in perpetuity,” the city wrote in a statement. 

The city’s small tax base would not be able to support the development of a new pool, according to the city’s chief administrative officer Mark Roberts.

“Aquatics facilities are expensive to operate and are often the most subsidized aspect of recreation services for municipalities,” he stated in a press release. “Building a new pool would require taxpayer funds that need to be prioritized for other needs in the future.” 

At the Feb. 6 meeting, many council members expressed disappointment with the decision, but acknowledged that it was made with the intent of saving residents money and spending tax dollars on other initiatives. 

“I’m extremely sad to be supporting this motion,” stated Coun. Gwen O’Connell. “This has been a dream since I was very first elected in ’93… We just can’t afford it.” 

The decision leaves only one pool in the city, the 80-year-old Harris Road Park outdoor pool, which is in need of maintenance. 

At an October council meeting, Kate Busby, a partner with Faulknerbrown Architects who presented the pool options to the city, said the Harris Road Park outdoor pool is arguably past its end-of-life in terms of physical conditions.

“The existing tank was built in the 1940s and is experiencing significant water loss and draining issues, impacting other amenities,” she said. “At any point, the community is at risk of losing its one pool facility.” 

Busby added that council should weigh the financial risks of building and operating an indoor pool year-round — especially given that there are many similar facilities located near Pitt Meadows. 

There are eight indoor pools within 20km of the city, including three within 10km: the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre (7.4km), Port Coquitlam Community Centre (9.5km) and Hyde Creek Recreation Centre (9.8km). 

If Pitt Meadows was isolated from communities that had indoor pools, then it may have made more sense to build a new one in the city, said Coun. Bob Meachen. But because there are numerous facilities close to Pitt Meadows, it didn’t make sense to significantly raise taxes. 

“I remember as a child when I went swimming we had to catch a bus [and ride] 30 minutes into the town centre of Cardiff in Wales, where they built a beautiful swimming pool,” he stated. “I was quite happy to get on a bus.” 

As the city decided against building a pool, MacDonald said Pitt Meadows would not be moving forward its Harris Road Park concept plans and keep the two baseball diamonds that are currently at the park.