'Shock and disbelief': Acadia University pulling the plug on its aging pool

Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., will permanently close its swimming pool on June 15 due to the ongoing cost of maintaining it.

In a news release, the school said the pool has operated at an annual deficit of $400,000 — "a cost that has become unsustainable."

"The pool that we've had for 60 years has really reached the end of its life," said Acadia president and vice-chancellor Jeff Hennessy. "It's got leaks, water quality issues, filtration issues. The cost to repair it is in the millions and that's just to prolong the life of what really is not a great facility."

A consultant's report last November noted that the pool has been leaking and requires major repairs that include new tiles. It also said mechanical systems like filtration and HVAC are at the end of their life.

The estimated cost of repairs is about $3 million.

Hennessy said the state of the pool had been discussed for years, but the report was the final blow.

Acadia's varsity swim program will be discontinued starting next season. The university said it will keep the pool operational until the end of this season "so long as water quality and safety can be maintained."

"Our focus now is really on their well-being, getting them through the season, getting them through the year and figuring out how to support them in their decisions for the future," Hennessy said. There are about 50 students on the swim team.

Hennessy said it was important to let the students know about the decision now so they can make decisions about staying at Acadia or transferring

Ella Collins, the  captain of the Acadia's women's team, said the room fell silent when the team found out.

"All you could hear was just tears and people upset immediately," Collins said.

"None of us expected that to happen on a Sunday afternoon mid-term week, one week away from reading week, just under two weeks away from our championship meet. None of us expected this to happen."

Collins, who is in her third year with the team, said many of the people haven't begun to consider moving on from the Acadia program.

"I don't want to transfer," she said. "I swim because of these people and my family here, and I can't imagine myself swimming anywhere else but here with Acadia swimming. And I know that many of my teammates also feel this way."

Collins said the focus now is trying to keep positive and continue with practices as normal.

S.M.I.L.E. program

Hennessy acknowledged the pool's importance at the school and to the wider community, including the Acadia S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience) program, which provides physical activity for people with varying disabilities.

He said S.M.I.L.E. would continue, just without the pool.

Elsie Gillis, a volunteer with the program, said using the pool is a favourite activity for many. "It's definitely a highlight and a lot of participants love it."

Call for a community pool

Hennessy said he would like to see the pool replaced with a community facility.

"The pool need is really more of a community need than it is an Acadia need, so we're happy to lend our support behind the local community to build something for the community needs, but our fundraising efforts really have to go into other priorities," Hennessy said.

Adam Deutsch, the swim program's alumni co-ordinator, said the pool closure is "gut-wrenching."

"I grew up in the area," he said. "I actually swam in that specific pool all through from over 10 years old until my early 20s. So [I'm] just completely devastated. It felt like a piece of me almost leaving. It was very sad."

Deutsch said there is a lot of frustration with the situation. He said others have reached out to him about why there hasn't been consultation, why the announcement came so close to the conference championship meet on Feb. 21 in Fredericton and why the decision was made now.

"Having spent so much time in the pool in my life, it was common knowledge there were issues with the pool," he said, but added he never heard of anything major.

Decision surprises Swim Nova Scotia

Bette El-Hawary, the executive director of Swim Nova Scotia, said the news came as a surprise.

"I think my initial reaction was a little bit of a shock and disbelief like many other people with no idea that … we were at this point with that pool," El-Hawary said. She said she has requested a copy of the consultant's report.

Losing the pool will have a significant and lasting impact in the community, El-Hawary said.

She pointed to the Wolfville Tritons swim club. She said many community members use the pool and she referenced the S.M.I.L.E. program.

El-Hawary hopes the municipality and province will work with the university to save the pool since the next closest indoor pool is at 14 Wing Greenwood.