Cranbrook residents will have to find a new place to swim as the annual shutdown of the Aquatic Centre in Western Financial Place (WFP)will begin earlier than scheduled this year.
City officials said the pools will be closed as of Monday, June 14th due to a lack of staff resources to meet the safety requirements of WFP. This is a problem reflected in a number of communities, particularly in the Kootenay region.
“We have been limping through our day-to-day operations for some time now due to a shortage of staff for various reasons. It has become apparent recently that our situation was not improving and we could not continue operating in a safe and effective manner,” said Stacy Paulsen, Director of Recreation and Culture. “We have a duty and responsibility to our staff and patrons to ensure that safety is a number one priority and therefore we had to make this very difficult decision to suspend operations until these issues can be corrected.”
There is no defined date when the pools will reopen at this time.
A closure was going to take place near the end of June anyway to allow for planned maintenance work.
City officials encourage residents to enjoy the warmer weather outdoors in the meantime, at one of the lakes or trails in the area.
Changes in operations and job postings can be expected in the coming weeks to help speed up the reopening of Cranbrook’s WFP.
Patrons will be able to get refunds or credits for their swimming times. Residents can get in touch with staff from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 250-489-0220.
More: Western Financial Place website