Saskatchewan

City of Regina presents 3 possible concepts for Wascana Pool redesign at open house

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Temperature control of water the main difference in concepts, city administrator says

Rachel Psutka said she would like to see a 50-metre pool concept for people who wish to train by using swimming lanes. (Brian Rodgers/CBC)

Three proposed concepts for a destination outdoor pool in Wascana Park are missing some key ingredients for people who lane swim, according to a swimmer who attended the City of Regina's open house on Tuesday.

The pool was demolished in the fall. Construction will begin next year and is expected to be completed with the pool open in 2021, to the tune about $15 million.

"The most logical conclusion would be to make it a 50 metre pool which could then be used for competitive swimming and competitions," said Rachel Psutka, a city resident.

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"When you decrease it to 25 meters, we lose a lot of our actual pool space and in that we lose a lot of capacity [for adults] as well."

Psutka said people would use the pool to train for Iron Man competitions, triathlons or just to improve their level of fitness.

"This pool has like a huge draw for people who want to lane swim, especially in the mornings," she said.

The three pool basin options, all of which include zero-depth entry, include separate options for the pool and the swim lanes, a semi-combined option where there is a connecting water lane between the swim lanes and the pool and a combined option with one big body of water.

If the city does go ahead with a 25-metre pool concept instead, Psutka said she has already voiced her concerns about swim lanes, modernization and better resources for people with disabilities to use the pool.

Janine Daradich, centre, talks the concepts for Wascana Pool at the City of Regina's open house at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum on Tuesday. (Creeden Martell/CBC)

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The open house is part of phase two in the ongoing project in which people can voice their preference for basin type, but also the type of activities which will be offered, said Janine Daradich, manager of planning and partnerships with the City of Regina.

The city survey, which is available online on the city's website, asks residents about spray pads, water slides, climbing walls and hot tubs.

"The differences in a lot of cases end up being water temperature," Daradich said.

A combined pool has a consistent temperature, but it gets trickier with a semi-combined basin. The separate concept could have distinct temperatures, she added.

Daradich said it is still too early to determine the fee structure for the pool, if there is one.

About 4,000 people have responded to the city's survey so far, according to Coun. Bob Hawkins. The survey will close Thursday.

The first pool concept includes an accessible playground and potential spray pad, a hot tub and deep water with swimming lanes. (City of Regina)

The second pool concept features swimming lanes separate than the main pool, a hot tub, an accessible playground and potential spray pad, and a zero depth entry. (City of Regina)