Repairs start Wednesday at St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre.
Crews will mobilize at the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre on Wednesday, Aug. 16 to begin work on the ceiling in the facility’s pool area.
Work will include reinforcing the existing ceiling tiles and support cables, replacing the fallen lighting tube and reinforcing the supports for other lighting tubes in the pool area. Acoustic tiles that fell from the ceiling will be installed at a later date due to the extended delivery time for the tiles. The tiles are designed to dampen noise and are not required to structurally support the ceiling.
Pools have been closed at the facility since July 4 when lighting fixtures and ceiling panels fell onto the pool deck near the leisure pool. Upon investigation it has been determined that a cable supporting the ceiling tiles failed, which pulled down the ceiling tiles and a lighting tube.
“We’re eager to get the pools open as quickly as possible,” said Phil Cristi, acting director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Services. “We’ve added extra hours at our outdoor pools to provide residents with options for swimming, but I realize that having to close the pools at the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre has been an inconvenience. I’d like to thank residents for their patience and understanding.”
Repair work is scheduled to last into the middle of September, and at this time it’s too early to know if the work will affect the fall aquatics schedule. If changes to the schedule are required they will be posted at all St. Catharines recreation facilities and available on the City’s website and social media channels. An exact date for when the pools will re-open will be shared as soon as possible.
The Port Dalhousie Pool and Lion Dunc Schooley Pool are open until Monday, Sept. 4 and the Lincoln Park Pool is open until Aug. 27. Splash pads are open daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. until the end of September. A full list of operating hours and locations for the City’s pools and splash pads is available at www.stcatharines.ca/Aquatics
