Mundy Park Pool opening delayed until 2025

Correction: The budget for the pool is $32 million.

It will be a long dry season for swimmers around Mundy Park this summer.

Citing “unexpected and unavoidable circumstances, largely construction delays,” city staff confirmed Thursday that the new $32-million Spani Pool replacement won’t be open until summer 2025.

The pool was initially set to open this spring but the tank had trouble holding its water.

“Initial testing on the refurbished competition pool tank identified leaks resulting in the need for repairs and re-testing of the tank,” explained the city’s general manger of parks, recreation, culture and facilities Lanny Englund.

Coquitlam ran into delays, “related to new hydro services and health permitting,” as well as supply chain delays and skilled labour shortages, Englund added.

In an email to the Dispatch, Coquitlam resident Karen Andersen expressed disappointment over the delay.

“Sadly, this is a sign of the times that the city’s contractor is unable to deliver on their contract within the expected time frame,” she wrote. “Coquitlam families now have one less option to enjoy a sunny summer afternoon at the pool for a reasonable price. We were looking forward to spending time this summer at Spani Pool.”

Coquitlam city council approved a major overhaul of the 52-year-old Mundy Park facility in February 2023.

At the time, Coun. Craig Hodge voiced a note of concern about having the pool ready by the spring of 2024.

If construction falls behind schedule, Hodge said he would favour keeping the old pool for one more summer to ensure swimmers don’t lose two swimming seasons.

“There’s no point in opening it in October of 2024,” Hodge said at the time.

However, city staff predicted the pool could open in approximately 16 months.

Responding to a request from the Dispatch in early-June, city staff stated the pool was still slated to open for the summer of 2024.

The new design is set to include a leisure pool with a shallow entry, a lazy river, and a warming pool intended to provide “therapeutic opportunities” for residents. The renovated lap pool will stay the same size with eight swim lanes and a dive tank.