Picture Butte pool confirmed not open for summer 2018

Sunny South Photo by Nikki Jamieson

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Sorry water lovers, the Picture Butte pool will not be open this summer.

Although Picture Butte town council voted to adjust the town’s budget so the pool could be open for the 2018 season during their regular March 26 meeting, after reviewing the process already made towards the new pool, the town has decided not to open it for the 2018 swimming season.

“We’re still shooting for the pool to be open in 2019, and in order to make that possible, we have to keep the pool closed for this summer, so we can demolish it and do all the ground work,” said Keith Davis, CAO for the town.

The town has also begun demolition work on the pool, and to repair that work now to a standard where it can pass a health inspection would be cost-prohibitive, especially as they would just be tearing to down again.

“Some demolition had already occurred, and council didn’t want to reinvest that money just to demolish it at the end of the season.”

The town had a request for proposal out for design consulting, which closed last Friday.

This week the town will decide on and award a contract for designers, after which they would have 35 days to create three conceptual designs. An open house on the pool design is expected to be held in July.

“The consultation and the design phase will be completed by the end of July,” said Davis, adding that currently, they are not sure on the final timeline for the pool construction. “There is a likelihood that (the pool) won’t be open for 2019, but right now we just don’t know it yet.”

The current pool facilities were built in 1967, and have since outlived their lifespan, promoting the need for new pool facilities for the town.

Council approved a $1.6 million budget earlier this year, for the construction of a new pool, a toddler pool, building and play features.