City working to reopen London's Glen Cairn outdoor pool by June

After sitting empty last summer because of needed upgrades, London's Glen Cairn outdoor pool is tentatively slated to be repaired and reopened for swimming this summer.

Coun. Hadleigh McAlister, whose Ward 1 includes the popular pool on Chippendale Crescent in the city's southeast, said staff plan to repair the pool in the coming months. 

"It will take a bit of time, but they have set aside the money and the resources to do it," said McAlister. "I'm having regular conversations with city staff to ensure that we get it open because it's very important to the community, I hear that constantly." 

McAlister said the list of needed repairs at the pool is extensive and includes work to upgrade the pool's surface, mechanicals and piping.

"It pretty much needs an overhaul all around," he said.  

Last year, the city offered free swim passes and free scheduled bus rides to South London Community Pool for people affected by the closure.

The pool is expected to open to the public in June.

No word yet on Thames Pool

The status of another popular outdoor pool that also didn't open last summer is less clear: Thames Pool in Old South. 

A consultant's report about the repairs needed for that pool is expected to come to council next month.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thames pool saw about 25,000 users in a season. In 2021, about 10,000 people used the pool. The Glen Cairn pool saw about 3,000 users before the pandemic and 2,500 in 2021. 

In 2019, the city's parks and recreation department published its master plan, which warned that the removal of community pools tied to the now closed Silverwood and Glen Cairn arenas "should be considered." 

The same report also said council will need to give careful thought before spending to repair other outdoor community pools. 

"The viability and usage of the two remaining older community pools within the inventory (Northridge and Oakridge) and their associated support buildings should be evaluated prior to undertaking major capital repairs," the report said. 

In a statement to CBC News Jon-Paul McGonigle, the city's director of recreation and sport said it's too early yet to comment on the pools, but said staff are working to resolve the repair issues.

"We recognize how important pools are to the community, and we appreciate Londoners' patience as we work diligently to try to rectify these infrastructure issues," he said. "We are committed to keeping the community informed of any updates well in advance of the summer season."