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Pool design change will save $100,000

Athabasca County approved a change to designs for the new pool that would give upwards of $100,000 credit to the project Jan. 10 during a joint meeting with the Town of Athabasca council.

Athabasca County approved a change to designs for the new pool that would give upwards of $100,000 credit to the project Jan. 10 during a joint meeting with the Town of Athabasca council.

Project manager Dan Chisholm presented to both councils an update on construction progress for the new pool. He then recommended council approval a change to pool designs that would see the removal of three handicap platform elevators in favour of one deck mounted lift.

The request came out of a December information-gathering visit to the Barrhead Regional Aquatic Centre – which opened in July. Chisholm said Barrhead staff was “really adamant” the platform lifts were a big mistake, due to safety and cost.

Issues with the lift included more attendants were needed to operate it than anticipated, a dangerous pinch point, potential for children to hide under the lift and get trapped, and difficulties with servicing the lift, Chisholm said.

“Every time you have to service these lifts you have to drain the pool, because all the operations are under the lift,” Chisholm said, adding that would be 280,000 gallons of water drained.

“That can get rather expensive, changing that out,” he said.

Chisholm said the current Athabasca Landing Pool has a “good lift now” that is only two years old and is portable, which could be used to take care of all the pools in the new facility.

He added the price difference would be upwards of $100,000 in credits.

Athabasca County Coun. Dennis Willcott said it is common sense to scrap the platform lift designs in favour of the deck mounted one in the Athabasca Landing Pool.

“To me it’s common sense. If that don’t work, you’re going to pinch somebody and you got to dump all that water,” he said. “To me, don’t put it in and save $100,000.”

Athabasca County Coun. Warren Griffin made a motion to go with administration’s recommended course of action, to remove all platform lifts, install one deck mounted lift for the lap pool and use the current portable lift to service the hot tub and leisure pool.

The motion passed unanimously.

Because the meeting was hosted by Athabasca County, only county council made motions. The request for decision will come before town council at a future date.

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