DAWSON CREEK, B.C. - Residents in Dawson Creek looking to take a swim will have to wait a few weeks as the Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre undergoes its annual maintenance shutdown.
The City of Dawson Creek says the aquatic centre and its climbing wall closed on August 29 and will reopen on October 3.
The annual shutdown, which typically lasts about four weeks, allows staff and contractors to complete maintenance and infrastructure projects that require the pools to be emptied.
According to the city, the closure is scheduled in late summer or early fall to avoid disrupting peak facility use, including local swim club programming.
Recreation attendance also traditionally declines during the first month of the school year, making September the preferred time for a full shutdown.
This year’s primary capital project focuses on the facility’s steam room.
Work will include removing and replacing tile, inspecting and repairing underlying walls as needed, replacing the steam generator, upgrading the venting system, and installing a new water softener that services the steam room equipment.
In addition to the steam room project, staff and contractors will complete a range of preventative maintenance and infrastructure upgrades throughout the aquatic centre.
City officials say addressing these issues now will help prevent more significant problems in the future, avoiding higher costs and potentially longer facility closures.
Staff from the Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre, working alongside the city’s maintenance team and contractors, will also carry out extensive cleaning, repairs and upkeep during the shutdown before reopening the facility to the public next month.