The old Minoru Aquatic Centre is being demolished despite some councillors calling for it to be renovated and kept for other uses.
Richmond city council voted 5-3 earlier this year to spend $2.7 million to tear down the building. This was after city staff told them only a portion could be used after it was decommissioned from a pool and the cost of repurposing it would be $8.8 million.
The pool was closed after the new aquatic centre opened at the Minoru Centre for Active Living.
The original plan was to turn the space where the old pool was into a grassy area because the footprint of the new No. 1 fire hall and the MCAL building took over a large corner of Minoru Park.
When city staff looked into saving it, they concluded, not only would it cost $8.8 million, the renovations would only extend its life by 10 to 15 years and only part of the building would be usable.
A city staff report noted how pools create a “harsh environment” and the building would need extensive repairs to its envelope as well as mechanical and electrical systems in order to make it usable.
Couns. Carol Day, Harold Steves and Michael Wolfe voted against pulling the building down.
