Asbell Report

Consultant tells HRM to choose between upgrading 40-year-old Centennial Pool or building a 50m pool at the Mainland Common

In spite of Consultant Asbell Management Innovations Inc.'s findings that the 50-metre Centennial pool in downtown Halifax is in poor condition and with specifications that no longer meet national standards for hosting swimming competitions, the report does not provide clear recommendations on what HRM should do.

Instead the report suggests a decision to build a new 50-metre pool should be delayed until HRM makes a decision on whether or not to extend the usable life of Centennial Pool beyond 5 years.

The report goes on to provide various options which include:

• Extend the lifespan of Centennial for 5 years (cost: $300,000);
• Extend the lifespan of Centennial for 20 years (cost: $3-million);
• Wait until Nova Scotia hosts the 2035 Canada Games to do one of the following:
  • Build a new 50-metre pool (note: the Games Directorate has not specified hosting requirements for 2035);
  • Build a 25-metre warm up pool adjacent to Dalplex (a private facility where the pool is 6 floors underground;

  NOTE: Halifax will not necessarily be the host city/town.

While the report was lengthy it contained several inaccurate facts and figures. The recommendations, though somewhat unclear, appear to contradict other parts of the report.

View the report (pdf).

Media Circus

Following release of the report a media circus ensued that pitted the community of Mainland North against downtown Halifax. Unfortunately, this shifted the focus away from the more important issue of determining the feasibility of constructing a 50-metre pool at the Mainland Common.

• Don't plunge into 2 large pools, Halifax told (cbc.ca)
• Kirkland Misquoted (build-it-right.ca)
• Pool wars (The Coast)