Iqaluit 'committed' to making sure people have access to new pool

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Councillors nearly shot down a proposed fee schedule Tuesday night for the $40-million facility scheduled to open in January. At the same time, councillors heard from city staff it's working on ways to make the cost more affordable through a dedicated fund for beneficiaries.

"I think it's well known that the late councillor Jimmy Kilabuk, who was a former mayor as well ... was very involved with moving the vision forward with the aquatic centre," said Amy Elgersma, the city's director of recreation.

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"We would like to be able to honour him in setting up this fund in his name."

Details of the fund still need to be worked out. Iqaluit's deputy mayor says the city will be reaching out to Inuit organizations and other levels of government to help contribute.

"I'm not just hoping – but we are committed – to making sure that they will have access to this pool," said Romeyn Stevenson.

The city has fundraised $200,000 to $300,000 in the REACH Foundation, a charity created to raise money for the aquatic centre, according to Iqaluit's chief administrative officer.

The plan is to earmark about $100,000 of that to subsidize the cost of entry.

Fees nearly rejected

Under the current proposal, an annual pass for pool access for a family of five would cost $1,060.

"I'm just having problems with the cost," said Coun. Joanasie Akumalik. 

"$1.680? Uakallanga ..." he said, calling the cost "unbelievable" in Inuktitut.

Akumalik was one of two councillors, along with Simon Nattaq, to abstain from voting on the proposal because he said he was not satisfied. 

He wants to know why the city is just dealing with the fee scheduled now, one month before the pool is scheduled to open.

"I was not happy with the annual fees. I think a lot of us can't afford that much money," he said.

Back to the drawing board?

It took just two votes to pass a second reading of the fee proposal, coming from Coun. Kuthula Matshazi and the mayor, who called into the meeting over a crackly telephone connection, leaving the city's deputy mayor to chair.

Two other councillors, Megan Pizzo-Lyall and Jason Rochon, were absent while Terry Dobbin was the lone councillor to vote against.

"I think this needs to go back to the drawing board," he said.

The city still needs to pass a third and final reading of the fee schedules before they're set.