Opening of new Richmond pool facility delayed until mid 2020
The swimming pools at the Minoru Centre for Active Living were supposed to open last March
Swimmers in Richmond will have to wait until the middle of next year for the much awaited Minoru Centre for Active Living to open its multi-pool area after the $80 million project suffered construction setbacks due to a leak and cracks in the lap pool.
The pool facility had been slated to open last March, but now city officials are hoping it will be ready for public use by the fall of 2020.
This past summer, insurance investigators looked into what went wrong.
City of Richmond spokesperson Clay Adams said the investigation pinpointed a number of issues.
"We believe it was to do with ... the piping that supported the pool and was related to the pool itself. We've had an investigation that clearly showed it wasn't constructed as well as it should have been."
He said there is no monetary cost to taxpayers for the repairs as they are covered by insurance. However, time delays have caused frustration.
While the entire facility may not open until mid 2020, Adams said an 8,500 square foot fitness centre is expected to open in January while the pool repairs are completed.