How feasible is a swimming pool for the south end of Graham Island? A new swimming pool study committee will address the question in the coming months.
A group of residents requested and were given select committee status from the village of Queen Charlotte at the Sept. 18 council meeting. They hope to prepare a feasibility study to determine whether it's possible to build and run a year-round indoor swimming pool at the south end.
Calling themselves members of the Queen Charlotte Pool Study, the residents wrote in their letter to the mayor and council that there seems to be widespread support for the construction of an indoor swimming pool in the area, but there is also justifiable concern and uncertainty about how much such a project would cost to build, maintain and operate properly.
The committee would like to assess how many in the community would use and benefit from the facility and whether a pool would divert customers and/or funding from the Masset pool, QCI recreational programs, the Queen Charlotte Community Centre and other organizations on the islands.
"The Swim Pool Study committee's goal and purpose is not to convince the community to build an indoor swimming pool, but rather to address and resolve these lingering question that have weighed upon the community for many years," says the letter.
The group plans to approach the Gwaii Trust for money for the feasibility study.
Members of the public at the Sept. 18 council meeting had questions about the study.
"Will this cost the town any money?" asked one man.
Mayor Carol Kulesha said, "If there is a cost, you will hear about it here."
Councillor Eric Ross spoke, reminding people of all the water troubles in Queen Charlotte.
Another man said studies have been done already, which suggest a population of 6,000 is the minimum to support a pool.
Ms Kulesha said discussions between south end communities have already revolved around working together to support infrastructure projects like this.
She said the communities won't be able to close any discussions about a pool until all the facts have been revealed.