No pool in Halifax or Nova Scotia meets standards for Canada Games

Nova Scotia is slated to host the Canada Games in 2037, but the province lacks a pool facility that meets the standards to host the event, which has sparked council and members of the parks and recreation staff of the Halifax Regional Municipality to look at constructing a new aquatics facility.

A report was presented Thursday morning at city hall that emphasizes the necessity to proceed with planning for a new state-of-the-art aquatics facility in Halifax.

The Canada Games would require a new 50-meter pool with 10 lanes, and a secondary 25-metre pool for warm-downs, along with spectator seating, said Swim Nova Scotia executive director Bette El-Hawary.

"We want to see a multi-use aquatic facility that can be used for different aquatic activities as well as recreation and community," said El-Hawary. "We would like to see that built in HRM but where that goes, I don't know?"

That's part of the recommendation in the report which emphasizes the need to proceed with planning now for a new state-of-the-art aquatics facility that today, would likely cost anywhere from 73 to 114 million dollars.

"What I like is the fact that HRM is willing to take a step back and have their staff thoroughly investigate what is needed in HRM for aquatic facilities and the best location," said El-Hawary.

In June 2022, HRM council instructed staff to conduct a study on a new 50-meter pool and explore options regarding the potential decommissioning of the Centennial Swimming Pool on Gottingen Street in Halifax.

That didn't sit well with community members and pool users who believe the Centennial Pool is worth saving for the long term.

Trevor Brumwell, who represents the advocacy group "Save Centennial Pool," emphasizes the need for additional aquatic facilities to be built, but says there is a need here in the community for the Centennial Pool to remain open.

"We strongly believe that Halifax needs an additional pool but we need to keep Centennial Pool and build the new pool," said Brumwell.

Swim Nova Scotia says there is a need for more swim times, as clubs right across the province are competing for more swim time.

"A number of our teams have waiting lists and they just aren't able to accommodate new members," El-Hawary.

Staff said it's premature to look at disposing of the Centennial pool without a new facility plan in place.

The report recommends the city and staff, explore three scenarios which include:

•  Building a new stand-alone facility.
•  Looking at renovating an existing facility, which could bring some cost savings.
•  Partnering with an outside institution like Dalhousie University for a joint aquatics facility.

The advocacy group says they support city staff's recommendation to study and look at building a new aquatics facility, but opposes any plan that would lose Centennial Pool and sell off the municipal property.

There is no timeline for when the aquatics study might be complete, the report still requires city councils approval to move forward with the study.

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