In 2020, the village undertook a competitive process to replace the liner of the Forestburg swimming pool.
The successful bidder, Austin Carrol Pool Construction Ltd. from Ontario, while in the process of removing the existing torn and leaking liner, noticed corrosion and other basin defects below the membrane that impacted their ability to install the new liner.
The issues were especially pronounced around the pool skimmers where the basin was noted to be in extremely poor condition.
The original pool manufacturer, Western Recreation and Development Inc. from Calgary was contacted and arrangements were made to address the basin issues.
Work was undertaken and Austin Carrol was contacted to finish the liner installation work.
Upon their arrival back on site, Austin Carrol was not satisfied with the mitigation work undertaken and their inspection indicated further work was required to the pool basin and crawlspaces to ensure the integrity of the pool basin and liner once installed and filled.
Upon receiving this information, the village secured the services of a structural engineer to evaluate the pool basin structure.
Following this engineering review and an on-site inspection attended by a third party who had previously done work at the pool site, Battle River Ironworks was contacted to work with the structural engineer to ensure that all needed remediation work to the pool basin was undertaken.
This was done in a fashion that would receive the engineer’s approval and allow for liner installation in time for the 2021 outdoor swimming season.
Council has approved the necessary capital allocation in the 2021 Capital Plan to finish the Pool Liner Installation project as a carryover project from last year.
The needed work to the pool basin in operational maintenance work and as such is ineligible to be funded from capital grant programs such as Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) Capital or the Federal Gas Tax Fund (FGTF).
As this was an unanticipated expense, administration asked council at their regular meeting on Thurs. April 8 to give approval of a draw of $80,000 from the Parks and Recreation reserves in order to fund these needed repairs which council approved.
This decision will result in a drop of the reserve from $107,850 to $27,850.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Dwight Dibben shared that the Battle River Ironworks portion of the project is hoped to be done by the first week of May with Austin Carrol finishing in time for the regular season opening on May long weekend.
He added that the life expectancy on these repairs should last between 10 and 15 years so reserves will be built back up over time for an eventual complete replacement.
Terri Huxley
ECA Review
