Sarnia city council will consider advancing a revised concept plan to guide future investment decisions at Germain Park on Monday.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said the design now includes a new accessible outdoor pool facility.
"If you go back on the history of Jackson Pool, it was very clear the community supported the pool continuing, and it should have never deteriorated to the point that it did," said Bradley. "The last council gave direction that they wanted Jackson Pool to be considered. It didn't receive the attention, council felt, in the consultant report that it deserved. So, council gave a very strong message that we want to discuss the cost of that pool."
A staff report estimates the pool to cost as much as $6-million, with annual operating costs projected to be similar to the outdoor pool at Tecumseh Park, which is about $180,000 per year.
"And it would be part of the much greater plan, which involves a kid zone, multi-court sports activities, and the new gymnasium that's going into the Strangway Centre," Bradley said.
Bradley said if the pool is advanced to budget deliberations, other projects will have to be adjusted or cancelled to support the project.
"I think it's an excellent idea to have a swimming pool," he said. "Splash pads are great, but they don't teach kids to swim. It's also good to have these types of amenities in certain parts of the city that have lost the amenity. Let's put it back in there and keep it for the next generation."
Bradley said there is a plan to stagger the projects to move them forward.
"What's going to happen at the end of this, if this pool project moves ahead, is we're going to have a first-class sports centre and community centre all around Germain Park. That, to me, is a a huge step forward, with a lot of money coming in from the federal government, provincial government, our own money, and the fact is it's time we do a renewal of these particular assets in the city," said Bradley.
Sarnia council will consider advancing the pool, kid zone, outdoor multi-court sports court and dog park for conceptual designs, and return with cost estimates and a plan for consideration as part of the 2024 capital budget process.
It's also recommended a design be developed for the new gym at the Strangway Centre.
The revised artist rendering of the preferred concept shows the park's five baseball diamonds will remain.
Monteith Brown Planning Consultants have dropped the proposed indoor multi-use recreation facility from the plan.