By Pepper Parr
December 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Watching a ward politician work really hard for his constituents is a beautiful thing to observe.
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison always feisty and tends to fight for his constituents – can he get them the pool they once had?
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison has a doozy of an issue on his table and we suspect his constituents are going to be hopping mad.
A staff report was made public earlier this week on options for getting the Nelson Pool back into operation. The pool was closed in May of this year.
The Nelson Pool was scheduled to open for the 2015 summer season last May. As part of preparing for the summer opening, city staff conducted a pool inspection after the winter season: the structure was deemed unsafe for public use by a structural engineer.
Attempts were made to see if any short term solutions could be found for this summer season however, repairs measures are too extensive. As a result, Nelson Pool did not open for the summer 2015 season.
The voters were not happy. Dennison says “We all want Nelson Pool replaced and to open as soon as possible.”
Councillor Dennison wants his constituents to get what they had – a full sized community swimming pool.
The future of Nelson Pool will be discussed at the Community & Corporate Services Committee at the 6:30 pm session on Dec. 8, 2015.
Three options are set out in the Staff Report:
Option 1
Re-build the 50-metre – (comparable to original) – $4.6 – $5.2 million
8 lane, 50-metre pool to meet competitive swimming requirements with an adjacent zero depth entry leisure pool and water play features. Original pool was 7 lanes which is not typical. Approximate swimmer capacity would be 550.
Option 2
Build a 25-metre (smaller version) – $3.7 – $ 4.3 million
6 lane, 25-metre pool with an adjacent zero depth entry leisure pool and water play features.
Approximate swimmer capacity would be 350.
OPTION 3
Decommission Pool (restore parkland)
Permanently decommission the pool and reinstate the site to a basic park level.
The range of costs provided are estimates based on conceptual designs.
Staff is recommending Option 2 below for the rebuild of Nelson Pool. This is half the size of the original Nelson Pool.
Dennison has made his position clear – “As representative of the Ward 4 Community, I have made my dis-satisfaction with the Staff Report very clear to the city staff team as well as the City Manager. I have strongly advised that the city should only consider a “like for like” size replacement. In other words, replace the pool with a new same size pool, not a smaller half-size version.”
Dennison is going to have to build support among his fellow Council members – will they be on side or will they remember the goof Dennison made last December 18th when Councillor John Taylor was stripped of council committee work that he dearly loved doing.
A designated home, bought under a power of sale on a large lot which the owner, Councillor Jack Dennison wants to have severed into two lots.
Or will they bring up the needless cost Dennison has put the city to for the Ontario Municipal Board hearing over the severance request he made to the city Committee of Adjustment which was turned down. Dennison took that decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
Dennison has asked the people in the ward to support his effort to get them the pool they used to have. He is certainly doing the right thing – and on this his voters should support him.
Dennison is asking the residents to attend his Ward 4 Capital Budget session on Thursday, December 3 at 6:30 pm at Cedar Springs Health, Racquet and Sportsclub – Harvester Room – 960 Cumberland Avenue.
The twenty year plus member of city council explains that the work on the pool is included in the proposed 2016 Capital Budget and this is their opportunity to influence the decision.
Dennison has provided his constituents with the email addresses for the rest of Council. The man does know which buttons to push.
He invites them to delegate at the Community & Corporate Services Committee on December 8, meeting during the evening meeting which starts at 6:30 pm
Related news stories:
The day Dennison failed to support his colleague
Dennison’s OMB property severance appeal.
Nelson pool was deemed unsafe.
The Performing Arts Centre and the golf course are parts of Burlington’s family jewels, and I don’t think we are any where near selling them off for a pittance that will soon be gone down the growth infrastructure deep hole. Think the 407.
They are pretty much sunk costs on the capital side, and cost near zero ongoing in the case of the golf course, and not that much for the other. This seems minimal expected cost for social and cultural heritage.
Downsizing Nelson Pool, another family jewel of the Nelson community, does not get my approval. I support the “like for like” idea Jack puts forward.
I can remember many times the city taxpayers as a whole have been called upon to help pay for recreation and other facilities serving another part of the city, particularly the newer growth communities. Think Tansley Woods for starters.
I supported this spending of public money on the public.
But if existing and older communities are going to see their worn out facilities downsized in order to stretch dollars to elsewhere, then my generosity to newer facilities, in other areas, will evaporate.
Like for Like is the way to go.
I support this and Jack’s taking it on.
You need the outdoor pool to be the same size as it currently is. That pool is used by so many people.
Keep the fight Jack
People – write to all Councillors and the Mayor to rebuild the pool in as is size.
For a city that is stumbling over itself to welcome refugees and anticipating growth over the next 10-15 years, why would you reduce or eliminate a full-size outdoor pool? It provides seasonal employment for youth. You want kids and adults to be outdoors and active, give them the facilities to do it. Nelson pool was sorely missed by this swimmer last summer, and needs to be brought back for 2016. Anything less is short-sighted.
Good luck, Jack. I’m with you on this one.
The City of Burlington should not be in the Performing Arts business and the Golf Course business. These are 2 large assets that could be used for much needed community infrastructure instead of the yearly drain to tax payers.
The Golf Course pays for itself, therefore not a drain on taxpayers with a large number of community volunteers. Just because you don’t golf doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hang onto an asset that we currently own. I don’t live near Nelson Pool, so maybe we should just close it – serves my purpose.
I agree with the Performing Arts Centre – big cash cow and always in the red and unable to attract big name acts . Pool needs to stay as it served the community for many years and is an asset . I do not live in the area of Nelson Pool but it provided much needed summer relief for my children who attended camp there . Finally partisan politics should not play a role in the decision process . The pool is for the people not to boost a councillor;s chances of re election Kudos for Dennison for taking this on,our kids thank you