By Adam Ophus

Water Recreation

Rocky Aquatic Centre and Spray Park could be open by August

Jun 25, 2020 | 1:01 PM

Rocky and surrounding area residents may soon be able to jump back into the local pool and even get soaked at the soon to be completed Spray Park.

Although swimming pools and swim classes were permitted by Alberta Health Services in the province’s Stage 2 relaunch on June 12, Rocky’s Credit Union Co-op Aquatic Centre remained closed.

The Town decided that since the facility was mandated to be closed by the province at the start of public health crisis they would begin their annual fall shutdown/turnaround of the centre early.

During the regular annual shutdown all three pools are drained and cleaned, as well as any toys, equipment and the building itself are cleaned.

Like many organizations throughout the province the Town of Rocky Mountain House was forced to layoff staff and were required to do the annual turnaround with a reduced work force.

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Photo of one of two remaining staff at the pool currently Rachel VandenBrink. (Photo Courtesy of the Town of Rocky Mountain House)

The Aquatic Centre is also receiving additional maintenance/upgrades as well.

Town Council approved the installation of new sound baffles for the pool as part of their 2020 budget, which are anticipated to take 6 weeks to be delivered and then roughly 1-2 weeks to be installed.

Also a part of the 2020 budget were new sand filters that have already been installed and are only awaiting the filling of the pools to be fully commissioned.

A carry-over project from 2019 is the new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit for the pool that has seen delays due to COVID-19 because of travel restrictions, but is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.

The brand new Spray Park coming to Rocky Mountain House recently held its project start up meeting on June 10 and also began work on the project that week.

The Co-operative Park sign was installed earlier this month, sponsored by the Rocky Credit Union and Evergreen Co-op.

Newly built sign leading into the Co-operative Park sponsored by the Rocky Credit Union and Co-op

The Aquatic Centre has a tentative reopening date of August 10 and the Town is hoping for an August opening for the Spray Park as well.