Deloraine-Winchester is seeing marked changes to their new aquatic centre as the weeks progress.

Head of Council, Kelly McMechan, says residents and visitors of Deloraine have been without their swimming pool for close to 4 years.  "The old pool was condemned with substantial damage. One time when it flooded it actually pushed the pool a few feet out of the ground. They had done some renovations to bandage that together.  The old pool was past the point of saving."

Covid closures made matters worse, and the pool remained closed.

Once the decision was made to build a new pool, fundraising efforts began, and engineering plans were drafted. Tundra Oil & Gas committed to a $100,000 donation to the project which kick-started the fundraising campaign.

This year's early spring certainly found favor with the contractors.

"It's been very busy," shares McMechan. "When we first started, we were hoping for a Grand Opening on the 1st of July, and that's in about 5 days, but of course we're not going to make that.  But I'm hopeful that we're going to be swimming in the pool in July!"

"Having said that," he continues, "we have some concrete and landscaping to get done and some fences.  The pool company is literally just finishing up glueing on the membrane and bolting on the ladders and the diving boards, and so I believe they're going to be finished by the first of July.  I'm hoping in a couple of weeks we'll have water in the pool and then maybe the third week in July we can actually swim in it."

The platform for the water slide needs to be built, and the groundskeeping crew need to lay down sod.  The fencing company is standing by waiting for the green light to construct the surrounding fence.  "Hopefully by then the water is in the pool and we're ready to go!"

McMechan says he's very pleased to see the aquatic centre coming together, "and I'll be very happy when we finally get it open and see people swimming in it again!"

(photo credit Deloraine-Winchester Facebook Page:  'Thank you to Tundra Oil & Gas for confirming their support for our Aquatic Park project, to our Reeve and Council for officiating, to the Municipality administration for prepping and cooking, to our Public Works for setting up and taking down, and especially to all of the fine residents for coming out to mark the occasion!  We can hardly wait for the next big event - you know, the one where we dip our toes in the water! Coming soon!!!')