Protecting the pools

A pair of pools long thought on the chopping block has found a potential friend in the Thunder Bay Heritage Advisory Committee.

Coun. Larry Hebert asked the committee to consider placing Heath Park pool and Dease Street pools on its heritage registry, which offers a measure of protection should the city decide to demolish one or both of the community facilities.

Hebert said he made the request to ensure a 60-day waiting period before the pools could have a demolition permit awarded against them.

"It’s a way of protecting the pools to a degree without major obligations if they were designated historical properties," Hebert said via e-mail Thursday. "But that could take place also, as Dease is the oldest outdoor pool in the city and Heath is the first and only outdoor pool in Westfort."

Andrew Cotter, chair of the 33-year-old Heritage Advisory Committee, said there is no precedent in the city to add pools to the registry, but that Hebert managed to convince them they had cultural significance.

"They mean something to the community and heritage is part of our culture. These structures were built by the community many years ago (by) members of the community, so we thought they were worthy of being on the heritage registry."

Cotter explained there are two levels of designation under the provincial Heritage Act. The more complex designation process makes it extremely difficult to do any work on a property, needing full approval of the city building and planning department, as well as the advisory committee, before any work can be done.

"We review those and basically approve those plans, whereas under the heritage registry plan, those buildings don’t have the same level of protection and there’s not the same vetting process for a building permit," Cotter said.

It’s essentially a way for the city to "exploit" a property, recognizing it for its historical significance, without handcuffing owners.

Cotter said the pools – Dease Street was built in 1912 and Heath Park in 1953 – have played an important recreation role in the area’s history. Dease Street pool in particular had an important role.

"It was built basically to keep children from swimming in the Kaministiquia River," cotter said, noting there were several drownings at the time.

Westfort Coun. Joe Virdiramo, who promised to fight for Heath Park pool during his upcoming re-election campaign, called it a bold move by the Heritage Advisory Committee, one that was long overdue.

Virdiramo said the much-discussed closure of the pools has long been a polarizing issue in the community.

"Dease has been the docket for about 39 years to close. It’s never happened. That tells me the citizens really appreciate the facility and want to keep it alive. However, safety of children … comes first. In the event that those facilities are no longer able to function as a safe aquatic facility, then of course we need to take a look at that," Virdiramo said.

Council will vote at Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting whether or not to accept the recommendation.