Sudbury councillors approve plan for new therapeutic pool

After years of discussion, the City of Greater Sudbury is finally set to move ahead with a project to build a new therapeutic leisure pool at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre in Azilda.

The proposal was first brought forward by former Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac. With Dutrisac now retired from politics, Coun. Geoff McCausland has taken up the torch.

During a finance committee meeting Wednesday evening, McCausland presented a business case to add the project plan to the city's budget. After an hour and 40 minutes of discussion, the motion passed, setting the wheels in motion for a project years in the making. Couns. Al Sizer, Mark Signoretti, Michael Vagnini and Mayor Brian Bigger were opposed. 

During his presentation McCausland explained that the pool would offer programs such as aquafit, pediatric hydrotherapy and fibromyalgia classes. He said the pool would benefit seniors, and could also be useful for children with sensory difficulties, who can benefit from the calming pressure of water. 

"I really believe this is an opportunity for city building. I believe this will be something that people in our community will really appreciate, that we don't have anything like this the same way," McCausland said. 

"I think the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre can be another Howard Armstrong Centre for that side of town. I think that there's a lot of potential that we're going to activate in this."

$1 million federal funding already secured 

The project has a price tag of about $5.7 million. In 2019, the federal government committed $1 million toward the project. Substantial completion of the project was expected within 24 months of receiving the grant — meaning the deadline to use the money is fast approaching. 

"We do not return a grant of $1 million. Because you can expect that it will be a long time before we have access to a grant of $1 million," said Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann, one of several councillors who spoke in favour of the project.

"There is community support for this project. And I think that it's time that we support it, for the good of this particular area but also the outlying areas, but anyone who'd like to go to a therapeutic pool. We have an aging demographic, we are developing our projects with that in mind."

The city plans to cover the bulk of the remaining cost with funds leftover from construction on Municipal Road 35. While construction on that project is not yet complete, staff is projecting a $4.5 million dollar surplus. The city plans to put 4.2 million leftover from that project toward the therapeutic pool. 

While Coun. Gerry Montpellier at first balked at the idea of using money from a not yet completed project, manager of growth and infrastructure Tony Cecutti said staff has "a high degree of confidence" in the projected cost. 

More than $100,000 from community fundraising, and $380,000 already committed by the city will cover the remaining cost for the project.