Centennial Pool reopens after months of renovations
Heated floors, accessible change rooms, bathing suit spin-dryer part of new renovations
After being closed for months for renovations, the Centennial Pool in Halifax is open once again.
Unlike the millions of dollars already spent on the inner workings at the pool and on making Centennial a greener, more energy efficient facility - this latest million-dollar facelift is aimed squarely at swimmers.
"It's gorgeous and it's going to be much more user friendly for the public and for all of our dive teams and swim teams that use this facility," said Carla MacQuarrie, president of the Centennial Pool Association.
It is certainly more user-friendly for those in wheelchairs with new accessible showers.
The change-rooms are roomier, the floors are heated, the single temperature showers are gone, and there's even a machine that will spin-dry your bathing suit.
Part of the latest renovation also includes a new reception area.
The pool and the deck were not part of this latest work.
The nearly $5 million spent on the pool in recent years is the most money that has gone into the facility since the building was constructed in the spring of 1968.
"The major part has been done, now just maintaining it will be the only thing we have to do," said MacQuarrie.
The building still needs a little more work. In fact, Halifax regional council is being asked for a few hundred thousand dollars more so they can repair the facade — but that work wouldn’t require the pool to shut down.