The results are in and the Similkameen Recreation Commission is diving in and supporting the idea of building an indoor pool in the Lower Similkameen.
An online survey completed this fall, showed 60 per cent of respondents want an indoor pool built in the Lower Similkameen.
Charlene Cowling, chair of the Similkameen Recreation Commission, said the results of the survey were forwarded to area politicians and will soon be posted online. She added the rec commission’s position is to support the results of the survey and to support a referendum be held on the issue.
“The commission has done it’s job and now we just wait,” she said.
Codes to access the online survey were sent to 1,803 home owners in the Lower Similkameen. Out of the 1,803 there were 275 responses received, 130 in Keremeos, 58 in Area B, and 87 in Area G.
That number represents about 15 per cent of the those polled and means statistically there is a plus or minus 5 per cent accuracy to the survey.
Thirty-seven per cent of respondents said they were in support of a tax increase of $100 or more to improve recreational facilities in the Lower Similkameen.
Cowling said she wasn’t concerned that 275 people responded but understood that the project was costly.
“It’s public knowledge (what the survey says). Hopefully the Regional District directors and the Mayor will all get involved and give their input on how they want to proceed with this actually,” she said.
Prior to the survey, the Recreation Commission loosely estimated the cost of building and operating an indoor four-lane 25-metre pool. The cost to build would be about $5.7 million and the annual operating cost would be about $250,000. To build if the full cost of the pool was borrowed and to operate it would mean at least a $260 tax increase for a home valued at $200,000. The cost is dependent on home assessment.
It’s unclear when the issue might come forward at the Regional District table.
The regional directors for Area B and G, nor Keremeos council has formally discussed the results of the survey although all area politicians have seen a copy.
Mayor Manfred Bauer said during a recent council meeting that he thought the costs to operate the pool might be higher than what the recreation commission has suggested.
George Bush, director for Area B, said he realizes the outdoor pool is aging, but wasn’t sure his constituents would support an indoor facility.
“My thoughts are it’s a pretty heavy cost and tax for such a small tax base… I’m pretty sure that my constituents wouldn’t vote on a pool.”
He noted other communities like Princeton, Osoyoos and Oliver are moving forward on plans to build new indoor pool facilities.
“Like Princeton has a mine and the mill and so they have industry paying taxes and a community forrest that makes money,” he said.
Elef Christensen, director for Area G, said he hand’t read the survey results but that he was concerned about the implication to taxpayers.
He wasn’t sure he’d support a referendum on the issue either as it was also costly. A stand alone referendum can cost more than $12,000 in the Lower Similkameen.
“They can do a mail out survey. They can send a letter asking people if they want an indoor pool. They need to let people know how much extra it’s going to cost.”
The survey asked a variety of questions related to recreation in the Lower Similkameen including what amenities are used by residents and the demographics (age, sex) of those users. The majority of those in favour of an indoor pool were female who had children under the age of 18.
The survey also asked respondents to identify recreational projects they supported including building an indoor pool, replacing the outdoor pool, roof over skating rink, expanded fitness area, enhancing the bowling alley, or other projects.