Lowest Bid For New WFCU Centre Pool Comes In Over Budget

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A new pool planned for the WFCU Centre is going to cost a lot more then originally estimated but the city is working to keep the costs down.

The new pool is needed in order for the city to host the 2016 FINA World Swimming Championships. Construction was approved last August at a cost of $6.5 million.

A report heading to City Council Monday evening says that the lowest bid came in at $8,575,000.

City administration has met with the lowest bidder in order to get the cost to come down. As a result, the pool will now have 7 lanes instead of 8, diving boards had been reduced, the therapy pool made smaller, the proposed splash pool will now be a splash pad, and the basement eliminated.

After all the cuts and reduction, the pool still came in $900,000 over the original budget mainly due to electrical and mechanical needs.

City Council will have to decide if they still want to construct the pool at the new cost, or acquire a temporary pool for the FINA event. To purchase one would be $2,670,000 and it is estimated they could sell it and make $800,000 after the event. To rent would cost $2,370,000.