The aging Crofton Outdoor Pool will need some substantial investment to keep it operational in the coming years.
Staff informed North Cowichan council at its meeting on Dec. 18 that it’s estimated that the popular 57-year-old facility, located at 1668 Robert St., will likely require at least $356,000 in infrastructure upgrades over the next 10 years.
Staff suggested that $277,000 of that be included in the municipality’s budget discussions for 2025 for replacing the underground pool-distribution piping, and $15,000 be earmarked for a feasibility study to better determine the replacement costs of the pipes and the next steps in the pool-upgrade project.
“These recommended investments are necessary to prevent further deterioration and ensure the facility remains safe and functional for community use,’” Neil Pukesh, North Cowichan’s director parks and recreation, said in a staff report.
Built in 1967 by volunteers from the Crofton Fire Department, the pool has served the community for more than five decades and has become a very popular summer spot in that time.
During pool start-up operations in June, 2024, North Cowichan’s maintenance staff encountered a series of mechanical issues with the facility’s water-distribution system that delayed the opening of the pool.
The main pool pump, installed in 2021 during a mechanical-room upgrade, suffered a catastrophic failure impacting the water-circulation process, but additional water-circulation issues were detected upon replacement of the pump.
As a result, swim lessons and staff training sessions had to be relocated to the Cowichan Aquatic Centre during the last week of June as the facility was unable to obtain its operating permit from Island Health.
The water-circulation issues were resolved and Island Health issued the operating permit for the summer months. However, throughout the summer operations, the pool experienced continuous issues with the pool filtration and water-circulation systems.
While most of the above-ground mechanical systems were upgraded in 2021, a significant portion of the facility’s water circulation system is underground and not easily accessible for visual inspection, and there is a concern that the underground infrastructure has exceeded its life expectancy and that additional repairs or upgrades are required to keep the facility functional.
North Cowichan commissioned McCuaig & Associates Engineering Ltd. to conduct an assessment of the facility to evaluate its current state and provide recommendations for its maintenance and renewal over the next 10 years.
McCuaig & Associates recommended that, among other initiatives, the underground pool distribution piping be replaced in 2025, $9,000 in electrical upgrades be completed in 2026, and that $40,700 be earmarked in 2030 for upgrades to the building’s exterior.
In his report, Pukesh said that McCuaig & Associates has concluded the facility is currently in poor condition and that without proper investment in its infrastructure, its condition is expected to continue to worsen over the next 10 years.
Coun. Bruce Findlay said at the meeting on Dec. 18 that the pool is an incredibly well used asset in the Crofton community.
“Families look forward to the day it opens every year.” he said. “Looking at the costs in the report, I’m not upset by them because I think they’re ‘reasonable-ish’.”
George Farkas, North Cowichan’s general manager of planning, development and community services, pointed out that further investigation will have to be conducted before staff is in a position to determine if the required upgrades and costs are still within the financial plan that is currently being presented to council.
“So if we get further bad news, it’s an opportunity for council to decide around how to deal with this during the [upcoming] budget season,” Farkas said.
Coun. Chris Istace agreed with Findlay that the pool is part of the identity of the Crofton community.
“Anything we can do to support Crofton within North Cowichan is going to be worth doing, so there will be lots of more hard things to discuss at budget time,” he said.
