After the initial closure announcement of UVic’s McKinnon Pool sparked public outcry, an engineering study will commence to determine the building’s future.
In order to conduct the study, the pool will still close as scheduled on September 15th.
Back in early July, the University of Victoria had made the decision to close the McKinnon Pool after 50 years of operation, citing that it was becoming too costly to maintain.
According to their media release, the pool had begun to show its age, and the estimated costs for required upgrades was at over $1.5 million.
They acknowledged how important it has been for the varsity teams, other campus members and the surrounding community, but the level of use wasn’t enough to justify the costly repairs.
Related:
- Petition launched in response to UVic’s McKinnon pool facility closure
- ‘It is a sanctuary’: Petition to save UVic’s McKinnon Pool gains traction
However, since this announcement, members of the community have banded together, sharing concerns and offering support for maintaining the pool.
This includes a petition launched by swimmer, Wayne Kelly, who relies on UVic’s McKinnon Pool for connection, as well as physical and mental well-being.
It quickly gained traction, and at the time of this publication, has gained nearly 4,000 signatures.
Others have offered to help with fundraising, interest from local and provincial government representatives and other users of the pool.
It is because of the public’s voices that President and Vice-Chancellor Kevin Hall has commissioned a more detailed engineering study to determine the work needed to keep the pool open.
“Our aim is to provide greater detail on the work and costs necessary to keep the McKinnon Pool operating as an interim solution while longer-term options can be fully explored,” Hall said in a media release.
“I want to thank our pool users, partners and members of the community for their patience and commitment to our community as we explore next steps.”
