Leisure pool reopens at Charlottetown's Bell Aliant Centre
‘We’re looking forward to being fully open’
People are back in one of the pools at Charlottetown's Bell Aliant Centre on the UPEI campus.
Starting Monday, some swim groups were able to use the leisure pool. A leak still has the competitive pool closed.
"It was really great to see people on the deck again and the few user groups that did get in here [Monday] night were ecstatic to be here," said general manager Sue Fraser.
"Everybody that was here was happy to be here and we're looking forward to being fully open in the not-too-distant future."
Pandemic public health restrictions closed the centre in March, and the pools were drained for deep cleaning and painting. The pools were refilled in August in anticipation of reopening after Labour Day. That's when officials discovered the competitive pool was no longer holding water.
It took some time to determine the problem was structural, not in the plumbing. Work on a new floor for the pool will start next week, Fraser said. If all goes well, the competitive pool will open in December.
The leisure pool will remain open during the construction.