The results are in from the Athabasca Advocate 's pool survey, conducted in October. The majority of respondents said they want amenities like a water slide, lazy river and fitness centre in the new aquatic facility, and 87.
The results are in from the Athabasca Advocate's pool survey, conducted in October.
The majority of respondents said they want amenities like a water slide, lazy river and fitness centre in the new aquatic facility, and 87.4 per cent of people said they would like to spend either $10-15 million or more than $15 million to build it.
Also, while 76.1 per cent of respondents said they use the current pool, 96.5 per cent of respondents said they would use the new pool.
Pool Design Committee chair Rob Balay said he was “encouraged ” by the numbers, and happy with response.
“We did compile probably, I bet you, quite similar numbers from our first open house, when we presented what we did, ” he said. “We had comments, we tabulated all those. ”
Pool committee member Athabasca County Coun. Warren Griffin said the results did not seem out of line. He noted that a theme through the consultation process has been that a new, modern facility with amenities would bring more people in, and he has heard from people that they will not go to the pool until there is at least a “proper ” change room.
“Those amenities - when we tour pools, (we ask) ‘Are they being used? People wanted them but do they use them?' And they say, ‘Absolutely,' ” he said.
Griffin added that although he thought the water slide might be less popular over time, he has found in other communities it is either as busy or busier than when it was first opened. He also noted that lazy rivers tend to get a lot of use from not only kids floating around, but seniors who walk against the currents.
Town of Athabasca Mayor Roger Morrill said the demographics of those who responded seem reasonable, as well.
“Young people in their 30s - that's when they're having a young family, and probably have very strong interest in the fruition of something like this, so I can understand why they would take the time to respond to it, ” he said.
Town Coun. Tanu Evans noted that although the results were positive, he would have liked to have seen the question regarding spending divided further than the three categories.
“I think that a lot of the pool that would have wanted just the basic $10 million pool - the only option there is the $10-15 (million), ” he said.
He also said though he thinks a pool is needed, money should be injected into the economy through infrastructure projects, like building roads and sewers.
To the question, “Do you feel the process to recruit members-at-large to the pool committee has been transparent and fair? ” 64.9 per cent of respondents said they did not know.
Pool Design Committee meetings are not open to the public. Neither town nor county councils voted on the members at large who sit on the committee.
Balay said the committee - which was made up of local municipal councillors and administration representatives - received 13 applications for the five open seats. He said the committee had a matrix to select applicants and used it to choose the members at large.
“I thought the process was fair, ” he said. “It was advertised well enough to get 13 different individuals from the community to put their names forward to sit as public members. ”
Balay also noted that county and town councils each have three members on the committee as well as each municipality's chief administrative officer.
“That's almost 50 per cent representation of the town, ” he said, noting that it would be up to each council's pool committee members to bring the names and information back to municipal chambers.
On the theme of committee openness, Evans said also said the town needs to see operating estimates for the pool as well in order to accurately assess how the new facility will affect local wallets.
“The level of service the town offers will have to change or taxes may have to go up, ” he said.
Griffin said if people want their voices or differing viewpoints heard with respect to the pool, they have to get involved - from attending open houses to running for council at election time.
“You've got to get involved, ” he said. “You can't force anybody. It's not like I'm going to knock on your door, knock down your door, bring in the shotgun and say, ‘You're going to sit on the pool committee.' ”
The pool design committee is holding their second open house on Dec. 1 from 5-8 p.m. at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.
Pool committee chair Rob Balay said the second open house will be similar to the one held in March, except a much more detailed blueprint for both the pool and the fitness facility will be available.
“That probably, I'm thinking, will be the last chance for public to have input where we can make some changes, ” he said. “Because we're going to be, pretty soon at the point where it will be going to tender. ”
Editor's note: The Advocate received 143 responses to the survey. Twenty-seven responses were removed, after they were deemed false or duplicate entries; 116 were counted. Respondents were not required to answer all questions. For more information, visit bit.ly/AthaPoolSurveyResults
More: Olds pool ‘absolutely essential ’ to community
More: Barrhead pulls together for pool
