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Churchbridge starts work on new pool

The work has begun. Forty years after the first pool was opened, and less than three years after fundraising for a new one began, construction has started on a new $1.1 million swimming pool for Churchbridge and area.
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In the foreground are Paige Debnam (Paige is a very active young girl born with Down's Syndrome. It was particularly fitting that she was selected by the pool staff to represent the young pool users because the new pool, thanks to its beach entrance, will be much more accessible to all those dealing with physical and mental challenges), her big sister Chelsea, and Joy Tatton. Flanking them, from left to right, are, Cal Swanson, President of the Churchbridge Lions Club; Matt Matcyk, Deputy Mayor, Town of Churchbridge; Gaylene Putland, pool building committee chairperson; Valerie Entz, pool committee member; Bob Bjornerud, MLA for Melville-Saltcoats and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister; Reeve Neil Mehrer of the RM of Churchbridge; Ron Irvine, Systems Manager, Yorkton District, for Access Communications; and Chandra Pratt, Human Resources Manager, Mosaic Potash Esterhazy.


The work has begun.

Forty years after the first pool was opened, and less than three years after fundraising for a new one began, construction has started on a new $1.1 million swimming pool for Churchbridge and area.

The official sod turning, marking the start of construction on the new swimming facility, took place Friday afternoon, July 22.

With workers busily staking out the construction site just a short distance away, two members of the community were given the honour of officially getting the major undertaking underway. Joy Tatton was on hand for the sod turning for the first pool which opened in 1971 and was asked to be part of those same ceremonies in 2011. She has been a member of the swimming pool operating committee for most of its 40 years, and still regularly swims even at the age of 80 plus.

The new pool will offer two major improvements for those using it. It will feature a beach entrance making it easily accessible to everyone including the disabled and the elderly who have a difficult time getting into and out of our current pool via steel, wallside steps. The other advantage is that it will be situated in a new location. Our current pool is located on the south side of the town, making it necessary for the majority of the town's residents to cross the very busy Yellowhead Highway to get to it. The new pool will be located north of the highway, directly adjacent to the Churchbridge Public School, the Churchbridge Daycare Co-operative, the Churchbridge Fitness Centre and the Heritage Manor Seniors' Units, all of which offer new opportunities for swimming / fitness programs.

Construction of the pool will begin this year and will be completed sometime early next summer, just in time to mark Churchbridge's 125th Anniversary. It will even include solar heating, which is a brand new "green' initiative for us and the community.