Multi-million dollar project to close Canada Games Pool for 6 months

Big changes are officially coming to the Tournament Capital Centre...

Kamloops City Council met on Tuesday where the Canada Games Aquatic Centre infrastructure improvement project was the chief discussion. Council voted in favour of authorizing an additional $4.5 million in funding to the project to allow several revitalization elements to take place at the pool.

The main reason for the project is to replace several critical infrastructure components of the facility that are near or past their expected lifespan. This includes the roof and walls of the pool building, the boilers, mechanical systems, and more.

“The pool was built in the early 90s and it’s showing its age,” said Byron McCorkell, the City’s Community and Protective Services Director. “It’s no different than your house—even with regular maintenance, eventually you will need to replace the roof and put in a new furnace.”

Included in the renovation will be an overhaul of the change rooms to improve accessibility and security.

“Personal safety and security of property are priorities at the TCC,” said Sean Smith, Business Operations and Events Supervisor. “The change room renovations will address the public concerns we’ve heard and will create an environment that is inclusive and accessible for all users.”

The CGAC will be closed from June 25th until January 2, 2021. This will give construction workers an ample opportunity to finish the project on time. To minimize the impact on pool users, the City will extend the hours at Brock Pool and Westsyde Pool.

During construction, the rest of TCC will remain open, with the exception of Hillside Stadium. Residents with memberships that include the pool will be reimbursed.

“We’re excited for all the improvements this project will bring to this facility, particularly with regard to its sustainability and accessibility,” said McCorkell. “The pool is incredibly well-used by the community, and this project will extend its life by another 30 years.”

For more on the announcement, click here.