Councillor Heather King's Rescue: Day 84: Blood in North Delta Pool

The North Delta Sunfish's young athletes, coaches, and parents are a hard-working, diligence group, as proven by their amazing accomplishments. These accomplishments are even more noteworthy when one realizes the improvements that are needed for the North Delta Outdoor Pool. 

North Delta Outdoor Pool

For the past several months, Heather she has been in consultation with the Sunfish regarding the improvements needed for the North Delta Outdoor Pool. (Blog Days: 14 & 32)

North Delta Outdoor Pool needs to be:

• resurfaced: the rough surface is causing extensive injuries to the swimmers' feet,
• regulation size, so that swimmers can properly train (length timing is vital for competing), and so the club may host official summer swim meets at this great outdoor pool. The pool is NOT regulation size and does not have the proper 8 lanes & outside lane space for FINA rules.  (Ladner has a regulation length outdoor pool; North Delta does not.)

Don't get me or the Sunfish wrong, North Delta Outdoor Pool is a LOVELY swimming pool, if you don't mind bloody, scraped-up feet and a pool that is not suitable for regulation swim meets.

New Sign for North Delta Outdoor Pool?

To think I used to worry about someone peeing in the pool! 

OUCH, this is not right! 

    
Truly North Delta athletes DO have tremendous diligence

 "Piggies in pain"

Bottom line: the rebuild for length, depth and surface is critical for young North Delta Sunfish athletes, who are DAILY users of the pool. 

 

COST:

I am not 100% sure, but I understand that city hall estimated the rebuild to be $750,000; however, an independent North Delta contractor's estimate was only $250,000.  $250,000 for a exceptionally well-used recreation facility - deal!

  

Seriously, it looks like a no-brainer. BONUS we have the $250,000 and it's just a drop in the $7.5 Million bucket that is available via Gateway Expansion's expropriation of public land for the South Fraser Perimeter Road!

Crack, Crack! Get that construction going! The Sunfish will have a regulation outdoor pool ready for next swimming season!

'Er,  I don't think so.

Turns out, the bucket will be completely drained  by the North Delta Recreation Centre Expansion Project.

What?  What about the bloody piggies, don't they get a say?

Ta-Da, once again Councilor KING dons her ROYAL PURPLE CAPE, uses her turbo boost of common sense, and swoops to the rescue (See Day: 79)! 

Monday's Council meeting:

The meeting was was hosted at the Kennedy Seniors' Recreation Centre in North Delta. 
One of the main agenda items was the $9.1 Million expansion of the North Delta Recreation Centre.

First: Heather, being quick with the math, stated we only have $7.5 Million. 
           
Second: Then she asked the $1.6 Million Dollar Question: how would the $1.6 Million 
               shortfall be financed? 

George Harvey, Corporation of Delta's CAO,  said that the Corporation of Delta has more land for sale. Specifically he mentioned, that the Wilson property in the Tilbury Industrial Area would be sold to offset the additional costs.

Third: Heather states that more public consultation is needed PRIOR to October's budget meeting!

The North Delta Recreation Centre Expansion Project is absolutely beautiful, but King wants feedback from Delta residents, as it's our money. What do the people want? Were we asked? King is concerned:  $9.1 Million is a LOT of money to spend without proper public consultation.

Heather wants all Delta stakeholders to be represented at the public consultation meetings (Duh, another no-brainer).  The city held a couple of public consultation in July, but seriously folks, July is not the best month for an authentic public consolation. As a result, very few people attended. The North Delta Sunfish were not there! There needs to be more dialogue,  $9.1 Million is a HUGE whack of coin!

OK, here is another $7.5 or $9.1 Million Dollar Question: if King says we need more consultation in regards to how we want OUR money being spent, how come the Corporation of Delta's website states that the North Delta Recreation Centre Expansion plans have begun? Who decided? Did I miss the referendum?  

OK, now that we're asking, here is another Multi-Million Dollar Question: if the North Delta Sunfish Swimming & Water Polo Club, a major stakeholder in the expansion project, was not represented in the July meetings, how many other stakeholders were absent or uninvited??? What's going on at City Hall?

Can't imagine what  would happen at City Hall without Heather, her ROYAL PURPLE CAPE, and her turbo boost of common sense!

Same song, different note: 
*** First grovelling apologies, in my zest, zeal and occasionally over-the-top support for Heather, I incorrectly gave her credit for this magnificent idea! I am biased, but I truly do make every effort to clarify my facts before publishing. Sincere apologies to Robert and a humble offer to publicly wash his car at a time of his convenience!
COUNCILLOR ROBERT CAMPBELL  (notice: if you want more information on Robert, click his name) had a clever, fresh, innovative idea for the pool: consider installing a retractable roof! The longer season would have the possibility of attracting other revenue generating fitness clubs (kayaking, scuba, synchronized swimming, underwater hockey, aquasize ...). It is feasible that the funds generated by the retractable roof could fund all the enhancements for the pool! 

I pinched these photos from Sunroom's website. I am not suggesting this is the style that would be appropriate for North Delta Outdoor Pool. .

 

Tell Heather how YOU WANT YOUR money to be spent. Her information is at the top of the page. She WANTS you to talk to her.

                                                                                                                

Tell the KING!