More than four years after the Sundre and District Aquatic Society’s request to turn operations of the Aquaplex over to the municipality was declined, the board has brought the issue back before council.
However, the situation has changed substantially over the past several years, during which time the indoor pool has received numerous upgrades combined with a much-improved financial position that has seen the society’s budget back in the black.
Supported by some of their fellow board members who packed into council’s chambers during the May 27 meeting, Leona Bennett, treasurer, and Roy Cummings, president, presented their case.
“Over the years, the aquatic centre has had some ups and down,” said Cummings.
“But I believe, right now, it is in the best shape physically and financially that it’s ever been.”
However, ensuring continued sustainability is becoming too big a burden for the volunteer board, whose members are struggling with burnout, said Cummings.
Additionally, since he became president about a year ago, Cummings said there seems to be more and more occupational health and safety regulations as well as liability issues.
“One of our biggest concern is the long-term viability and sustainability of the facility.”
Recognizing the municipality’s funding contributions over the years, he said the board believes more must be done, and read a letter submitted to council on behalf of the board.
“The Sundre and District Aquatic Society respectfully requests that the Town of Sundre council direct, by way of motion, the administration to enter into negotiations to begin immediately for the transition of operations from the Aquaplex board and the agricultural society to the Town of Sundre,” he said.
The Aquaplex is unique in the province as being a multi-million-dollar facility that is community-owned and operated by a volunteer board. Additionally, he said the indoor pool is also open essentially year round and caters to all ages, along the way providing through a multitude of programs healthy recreational opportunities that play an important part in making Sundre more appealing to families seeking a new place to call home.
“It’s something well worth protecting,” he said, expressing appreciation for the municipality’s role in financially supporting the facility.
Bennett offered council some insight on all of the progress made since the last time the society asked the municipality to take over the pool’s operations.
“We feel that volunteering is important, and we really wanted to get this pool back on track,” said Bennett.
The pool was not in the greatest physical or financial shape when the board asked the town to take over in 2015, she said.
“We were in big financial trouble. We were about $45,000 in debt,” she said, adding there were barely enough funds to cover payroll.
However, over the past four years, she told council the pool began to turn a modest profit. As of the end of April, Bennett told the Round Up during a followup phone interview that the society had about $190,000 in the bank, which she added sounds like a lot, but goes quickly with big expenses like payroll.
“Payroll is our top priority,” she said to council during her presentation.
During that same approximate period of time, she told council numerous upgrades and repairs, guided by a Lifesaving Society audit provided to the municipality in 2015, were completed. Those projects included the installation of two new boilers as well as windows and showerheads, the removal and replacement of the old waterslide with a new one, and a heating system panel that has helped ensure more consistent water temperatures, she said.
“Now we’re looking towards getting that floor replaced because it is lifting,” she said, later adding the roof will also soon require repairs.
At the fitness centre, gym equipment has been upgraded and is inspected twice a year by Apple Fitness to ensure there are no potential issues, she said.
Meanwhile, the number of times people used the pool has increased significantly to 23,740 in 2018 from 15,531 in 2017. At the fitness centre, numbers have gone up to 16,606 from 15,315. The number of visits from both Sundre and Mountain View County residents has also increased, she said.
“We’re very pleased with these numbers,” she said, adding there are even some people from larger urban centres who enjoy coming.
“It seems to be getting busier and busier.”
Following a brief moment of silence after the presentation, Mayor Terry Leslie asked whether any members of council were prepared to make the requested motion.
Bennett broke another few seconds of silence that ensued and said, “I know you’re all very nervous about this. Volunteers are getting fewer and farther between. We’re getting burnt out.”
Although operating the indoor pool is a big job, she added, “We have come a long way in the last four and a half years since we asked you guys to take it over.”
While some people have suggested locking the doors, she said there is far more to it than that.
“If we shut the doors down while you guys decide, the work that we have done in the last four and a half years to get the revenue back up and to get patrons confident that they can come into a clean and healthy facility, you guys will lose that and it’ll take you another five years to get it back.”
Cummings added the society only sought a motion to direct administration to start negotiations to consider potential options for a transition plan that would be presented to council for further discussion.
The mayor again wondered whether any councillors would be willing to suggest a course of action, and said a motion to accept the presentation for information would be akin to a “kiss of death” for the process to move forward.
Coun. Richard Warnock made a motion to direct administration to meet with the aquatic society to discuss what options the board is putting forward, and to bring back to council the pros and cons of what’s been discussed.
Coun. Charlene Preston offered a friendly amendment to the motion to include the Sundre and District Agricultural Society in those discussions.
“It is their land and it’s very much a big part of that,” said Preston.
Coun. Cheri Funke suggested a further amendment to include in the motion a request to investigate legal and tax implications that would be involved in transferring the pool’s operations to the municipality.
Warnock was comfortable with his colleague’s recommendations, and his amended motion carried unanimously.
The mayor thanked the delegation for the presentation and said he hoped options could sooner rather than later be brought back before council.
