As Victorians prepare to vote in a referendum on the fate of the Crystal Pool, one local group is pleading with the public to vote for a new facility.
Susan Simmons is the coach of the Spirit Orcas Swim Club, which uses the Crystal Pool. She says the club is British Columbia’s only masters swim club for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Increasing maintenance shutdowns and the looming referendum has the club fearing Crystal Pool will be shut down permanently and there will be no replacement facility.
"We're beyond the point of repairing it and we see that based on the number of times in continues to break down," Simmons told C-FAX 1070.
She's worried the public might vote no thinking the old one can keep going.
"I think people think that we can refurbish it. We are so past refurbishment. That pool has been around for over 50-years. The lifespan of a pool is typically 25."
Simmons books time for other swim groups in the region and doesn’t think there's enough capacity at other pools if the Crystal Pool isn't replaced.
The Crystal Pool Referendum is Saturday, February 8. People can vote on whether the City of Victoria should borrow up to $168.9 million dollars to replace the Crystal Pool. They'll also be able to vote on preferred site option.