The city of Ottawa is looking to make a splash in the pool, with plans in the works for both a 50-metre pool as part of a major indoor aquatic facility and a new pool in Riverside South.
The 2024 city of Ottawa draft budget includes $3.9 million for the development of a new major aquatic facility, and $66.4 million in capital funding for a new Riverside South Recreation Complex, which will include a 25-metre pool.
Plans for new swimming pools come as parents and guardians face rough waters to sign up their children for swimming lessons and aquatic programs with the city of Ottawa.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for our nightly CTV News Ottawa newsletter
The city will offer 4,383 swimming courses in the winter of 2024, up from 3,726 classes in the winter of 2023. However, data provided by the city says 83 per cent of classes were full within one day of registration opening on Tuesday.
The new Riverside South Recreation Complex will include a gymnasium, two new ice arenas, a 25-metre pool and a leisure pool.
"This important project, which has been a top priority for my office, will help bring increased recreation, cultural, and community-based initiatives closer to home for residents of Riverside South – Findlay Creek," Coun. Steve Desroches said in his newsletter to constituents.
"Importantly, this facility is set to include a swimming pool, which will help alleviate the long waitlist for swimming lessons across the City of Ottawa,"
Desroches says the $66.4 million for the Riverside South Recreation Complex, funded through development charges, includes funding for land acquisition, design and construction. Desroches says the goal is to start construction in 2026, while the city of Ottawa budget says the completion date for the project is 2031.
The draft 2024 budget also includes $3.9 million to assist the development of a major aquatic facility in Ottawa, with a 50-metre pool.
Staff say the city is preparing to develop a new 50-metre pool and major aquatic facility "to support current standards for aquatic sports including competitive and recreational aquatic sports."
"This would also allow the City to host National Aquatic events at this state-of-the-art facility providing opportunities for volunteerism, resident engagement and sport tourism."
The proposed site for the major aquatic facility has not been determined. The financial forecast calls for $35 million in spending on the plan in 2025.
