About that Pool…

The pool was a hot topic at the doors when I ran for council five years ago, and it's even more pressing now. Fredericton has needed a new aquatic facility since at least 2008.

I've spent 20 years in sport governance and seen how recreation facilities get built. The model is consistent: multi-source funding from all levels of government, a community contribution through a capital campaign, and sometimes private partnerships like what the YMCA is exploring. The town of Cap-Acadie just opened a multiplex built this way. Not every project has every element – but you need a workable funding model, and ideally a regional services agreement.

Here's what the incoming council needs to do:

• Name the aquatic centre as a top infrastructure priority: for some funding streams, this is a prerequisite

• Have a plan and a location ready, because funding goes to the municipalities that are ready to put shovels in the ground

• Advance work on regional service agreements; this has already started, and if successful it could be the difference between a strong regional facility and one that just does the job

• Set milestones and share them publicly, so residents can see progress instead of waiting years for a ribbon-cutting

I'll be honest: I can't promise there won't be a gap in access. The Sir Max Aitken pool is aging and at real risk of a breakdown that could force closure with little notice. The incoming council needs to look seriously at that risk and have a plan to keep people in the water – but it may turn out that the most realistic way to address that gap is to start building now.

I'm an avid cyclist – which is a huge understatement. I’ve been involved at all levels, still organize events for my local club and am in my fourth elected term on the board of directors of Cycling Canada. Canada now has three world-class velodromes, funded by exactly the model I described. Given my interest in cycling, you know I mean it when I say a pool serves far more people than a velodrome. Track cycling is pretty niche, whereas a pool serves children learning to swim, families, seniors (I ❤️ the Silver Dolphins), fitness and therapy users, competitive swimmers, and community groups across the region. If we can build three velodromes, we can fund an aquatics facility in a city where it's so clearly valued and used.

The pool has waited long enough. So have the people who use it.