Iqaluit offered extended pool lease

The city of Iqaluit has been offered a two-year extension on the lease for its badly-aging swimming pool.

The public pool’s lease expires March 2007, and there has been speculation about whether an extension would be offered by Nunastar, the company that owns the Astro Hill Complex where the popular pool is located.

The extended lease would continue from April 2007 to March 2009. Rent would increase by 8.5 per cent each year. The city currently pays about $180,000 annually in lease payments.

“They’re looking for a fixed, two-year deal,” said facilities manager Simon Adams during budget discussions this week.

With rising maintenance costs, deputy mayor Glenn Williams said the city needs to consider whether keeping the pool open is worthwhile.

“It’s going to be a tough sell in a couple of years,” he said, estimating the annual cost of running the pool could hit $750,000 in two years.

In December, the city heard plans from a consultant for building a new pool. But that would come with a hefty $10.4 million price tag, and it likely wouldn’t be finished until early 2010.

“There’s a good chance that in three years we aren’t going to have a pool,” said Adams.

The existing pool is in poor shape. Adams says this year they must replace the chlorine pump and sauna element and fix the decking on the floor. Equipment problems frequently cause the pool to close, or else the pool is filled to capacity and they turn residents away.

“I think we really need to lobby the government. We’re trying to attract people to Iqaluit, and taxpayers can’t pay for all of it.

“It’s important to teach kids how to swim, because people are boating and out on the land.”