Diamond Valley residents are planning a splashy display as they rally to save their community pool from possible closure. Supporters of the Save Our Outdoor Pool campaign plan to carry pool noodles and don swimsuits and goggles in a parade on Wednesday, starting outside the Diamond Valley Town Office at 4 p.m. before attending a town council meeting at 6 p.m. that will include discussions about the fate of the Dr. Lander Memorial Pool. “It’s so important. It’s a safe place, it’s easy to get to and it meets the needs of the community,” said Bridget Lacey, spokesperson for the Save Our Outdoor Pool campaign. Lacey said the campaign has collected 331 signatures in support of keeping the pool operating. Lacey said seniors, children and adults use the space for fitness classes and as a social gathering place that kids can reach by bicycle. It also fills a gap for families looking for swimming lessons, which are often fully booked in neighbouring communities. “We think that without this pool it would make it even more difficult and prevent people from having swimming lessons, which we think is unsafe,” said Lacey. Dr. Lander Memorial Pool was built in 1962, and the town’s CAO said it has reached the end of its natural lifespan, but many community members want the facility to remain open until an alternative can be built in Diamond Valley. “We know it is possible to keep an old pool chugging along,” said Lacey. “We look to the Inglewood pool in Calgary that’s nearly 100 years old, and they keep reviving it.” The Town of Okotoks managed Dr. Lander Memorial Pool’s staffing and programming for the past few years but is not renewing the agreement for the next swim season. The Town of Diamond Valley has been covering operations and maintenance costs, and council will discuss the possibility of taking on staff and programs as they begin budget deliberations Wednesday night. More to come…
