Saugeen Shores council is being encouraged to make a big splash and build a new indoor pool.
About 65 members of a citizens group known as SSRAPnow (Saugeen Shores Recreation Centre and Pool Now) filled the council chambers to push council to move ahead with the proposed new pool, which has an estimated price tag of between $14-million and $21-million.
Spokesperson Karen Gill says they want to build visible support for a new pool, so they will host a support walk on May 14 through downtown Port Elgin, and are asking participants to wear orange to show support for a new pool.
"All we want to do is for council to be aware of the numbers of people who really are out there, want the facility, want it to go forward, and we want to show the numbers," says Gill.
Breakers Swim Team President Jeff Horseman says the 43-year old Port Elgin Centennial Pool is no longer a suitable location given its accessibility challenges and small size, adding competitive swim teams are now passing on competitions at Centennial Pool.
"It's come to a point where there's not very many swim teams want to come and compete in our pool," says Horseman. "It's just because of the age and that there's no viewing area and it's not the proper size competition pool."
With the current council unlikely to move ahead with a new pool build before lame-duck provisions kick in ahead of this fall's municipal election, Gill says they want council to decide on other issues around the new build, such as location and size.
She says they will make sure the new pool is atop the list of campaign issues.
Saugeen Shores council voted in 2015 to move ahead with a new pool build, but on the condition of securing at least two-thirds of outside funding.
Saugeen Shores Recreation Centre and Pool Now members [left to right] Tara Somerville, Kim Clarke and Karen Gill speaking to Saugeen Shores council (Jordan MacKinnon photo)