Despite hopes of being re-opened in time for late spring 2019, the Bear Creek Outdoor pool will not be available for swimmers for the foreseeable future.
The city is once again laying the blame for delays in progress on mother nature. In 2018, it said colder than normal temperatures and several days of flooding was the culprit for the push back, this year, it’s the air quality.
“Right now it’s just the weather is kind of our issue at the moment. With the smoke, it kind of impedes the work that is going on outside,” says City Aquatics Manager Meghan Monette
However, the city was unable to provide comment as to if any other delays in work were causing the re-launch date to be pushed back even further.
“I don’t know the details as to what it is, I’m just told that it’s not ready for us yet. We don’t have an opening date officially yet to share, but we are working on just getting the pool ready once we are able to open.”
Monette says she understands the frustration felt by pool users and says she has been inundated with calls by those hoping it will be open six years after a crack discovered in the structure forced the closure of the pool.
“It’s been a long time coming, and I think the citizens of Grande Prairie are looking for another area to gather and another place they can get together with the family on nice hot summer days.”
Monette adds as soon as the city gets the green light to start planning the re-opening, it will be a quick turn around.
“Once it gets turned over to us, and we get passed by the health inspector, it will probably be about two weeks before we are ready to be opened.”
Back in 2015, the city approved a total of $5 million to fix the pool.