Terrace is swimming along toward the start of the aquatic centre’s major renovation in March and hours are being reduced starting Monday, Feb. 6, due to limited staff.
The pool will close during weekday afternoons from 1 p.m. to around 4 p.m., but the weight room will remain open during that time, said Heather Avison, chief administrator for the City of Terrace.
“It’s due to the fact that we are starting to get short on staff,” she said of this month’s shorter hours.
“Some of our lifeguard staff in particular have gone off and found employment elsewhere because they knew that this was coming,” she said, noting that the shutdown was first estimated to start early-February.
Avison said the city isn’t concerned about recruiting lifeguards and staff when the centre reopens in early 2018.
“I think people will be excited to come work in essentially what’s going to be a brand new facility,” she said.
The project is still out to tender until Tuesday, Feb. 7, and the prime contractor will be chosen March 3.
Work will begin March 18 when the aquatic centre will completely close.
A new addition with a windowed ceiling will house an upgraded fitness centre, expanded to not quite double the size from 1,188 square feet to 2,000 square feet.
That addition will be on the northwest corner of the building by the parking lot, and the area which previously held the fitness room is being transformed into a large family change room.
An expansion and complete overhaul is also coming to the leisure pool. A lazy river will be added for people to float around on the east side, and several fun water features will spruce up the opposite end.
Overall, the leisure pool will grow more than 300 square feet, about an extra third the size, and will have a new wheelchair ramp for better access.
It will also increase in depth, along with the larger lane pool, which will both have an upgraded drainage system to allow the water to come right up to the edge of the pool deck.
The hot tub will also be redone and it will have a new wheelchair ramp.
“We’re very excited to get the project underway,” said Avison.