Pyramid Recreation Centre spa to be decommissioned

Area will be repurposed to add more spectator seating and storage

After serious consideration and consultation, the Town of St. Marys has decided to permanently decommission the spa at the Pyramid Recreation Centre (PRC). Council approved the move on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, following recommendations from staff and the Town’s Recreation and Leisure Advisory Committee.

The spa was first opened in 2008, along with the PRC’s pool and sauna. Since then, the spa has been fraught with issues, experiencing frequent breakdowns and requiring regular repairs. More recently, staff discovered a significant leak in the spa’s main drain line.

Despite extensive research, staff were unable to find a reliable solution for the leak that would avoid major construction or a total relocation and rebuilding of the spa. Costs for these options ranged from $45,000 to $250,000, plus the $32,000 annual expense of operating the spa.

Faced with these issues, staff consulted Council’s Strategic Plan, the Recreation and Leisure Services Master Plan and the PRC Business Plan. Each of these guiding documents stresses fiscal responsibility and operational efficiencies as major priorities for the PRC. With this in mind, staff determined that closing the spa was the most practical and cost-effective option.

“We recognize that some of our residents have enjoyed using the spa in the past and may be disappointed by this news” said Director of Building and Development, Grant Brouwer. “We considered several options, but ultimately felt this was the best, most responsible decision for the facility and for our tax payers.”

“There are plenty of other recreation and leisure opportunities available for patrons at the PRC,” said Director of Community Services, Stephanie Ische. “We encourage you to try our pool and sauna, or participate in some of our programs, like aquafit, water running or aqua Zumba, now running on weekday afternoons.”

The spa will be removed during the PRC’s regular maintenance shutdown, scheduled for late August 2020. The space will be repurposed to provide more seating for pool spectators and additional storage for aquatics equipment.

Additional information about the decision to decommission the spa can be found in the February 11 report to Council (pg. 52 – 55). A schedule of aquatics programming is available on the Town website or in the current Recreation and Leisure Program Guide. Questions about the plans to close the spa can be directed to Grant Brouwer, Director of Building and Development at 519-284-2340, ext. 215 or gbrouwer@town.stmarys.on.ca.

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Contact

Brett O’Reilly | Corporate Communications & Events Manager
519-284-2340, ext. 432 | 519-272-4376 | boreilly@town.stmarys.on.ca