East Gwillimbury swimming pool might not be coming until 2024

Town will focus on public consultation and concept designs

Yorkregion.com
March 28, 2019
Simon Martin

When is East Gwillimbury going to get it’s long awaited pool and new library facility in Queensville?

Most likely not for another four years. Earlier this month East Gwillimbury council received an update about the Health and Active Living Plaza that is to include a swimming pool and library. General manager of parks, recreation and culture Aaron Karmazyn told council that the project is dependent on East Gwillimbury population reaching 40,000 people. In conversations with the planning department, Karmazyn said the town is likely to reach that threshold around 2023 or 2024.

That timeline is certainly different than what Mayor Virginia Hackson told the Express after her election victory in 2018.

“We will go to tender probably in April, May or June. It will be at least two years to build it; midterm, we should be cutting ribbons,” she said in October.

The new potential date mentioned by Karmazyn underlines challenges the town faces in tying facility construction to population numbers. Back in 2016, Hackson was touting the facility could come as soon as 2020. But as population growth in the town lags the target date for the facility gets continually pushed back.

This year, the town will focus on public consultation and concept designs for the facility. “Having lots of feedback I think is really important,” Hackson said.

Last year, the town announced its plan of funding the pool by itself after investigating a partnership with the YMCA. According to a staff report, due to the delay in the Upper York Sewage Solution, a market analysis indicated membership yields below the YMCA requirements to proceed with construction of a pool and fitness centre.

The YMCA indicated its desire to continue a partnership for a large-scale child care and early years centre. At that time, the town also announced it is moving forward with memorandums of understanding with the following potential partners: York Region Community & Health Services, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canadian Mental Health Association, York North Basketball Association, East Gwillimbury Public Library, York Region District School Board, York Region Catholic District School Board, York Region Arts Council, NPower, YMCA of Greater Toronto, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of York Region, Community and Home Assistance to Seniors, York Regional Police and Neighbourhood Network.

East Gwillimbury is projected to grow to a population of approximately 50,000 residents over the next five to seven years. With the delays in long-term sewage servicing, the town is limited to further growth. To manage the current phase of growth, staff said they are scaling the scope of the plaza to ensure it is designed in a fiscally responsible manner. The town said it would be working with each of these partners to create flexible and functional permit and program space to allow for complementary services within the plaza. The estimated cost of the construction of the plaza was $38 million in 2016.

The plaza is being designed to be a one-stop community destination that can be a landmark in the community. Ward 1 Coun. Loralea Carruthers said it’s great to see everything that is being incorporated into the project. “This is so exciting,” she said.

The new facility will be located in Queensville as part of the new development along Leslie Street.