Victoria will pump $585,000 into the aging Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre this year while undertaking a $300,000 condition assessment of all city buildings.
The city has about 100 buildings, including facilities like the pool, outbuildings and public washrooms, valued at about $330 million.
Crystal Pool, Fire Station No. 1 and the Point Ellice Bridge top the list of facilities on the city’s to-do list.
The assessment would provide council with an undated inventory, maintenance requirements and condition assessment of all facilities, Dwayne Kalynchuk, the city’s director of engineering, told councillors.
“The facilities assessment will be to us in October,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “We’re obviously not going to break ground in a fire hall or go in any direction on that project until we have the comprehensive assessment, and the same [is true] with Crystal.”
Helps said the facilities report will help fill a gap in council’s information. “We are stewards of public assets and we couldn’t tell you the condition of too many of those assets,” she said.
Crystal Pool is more than 40 years old and in need of major repair or replacement. The cost of basic repairs for the mechanical systems has been estimated at $6 million, while replacement could cost up to $58 million. A detailed assessment in 2011 found that all of the pool systems were at the end of their useful lives.
Repairs planned this year for the pool include replacement of four damaged dome panels, safety upgrades to the chlorine system, new storm and sanitary pipes, exterior cladding repairs and window replacements, pool drain covers, installation of a crane system to maintain the filter system, boiler inspections and pipe bracket replacements.
Decisions on further investments into the pool facility won’t be made until after the city-wide facilities assessment is done.
Meanwhile, councillors agreed to a proposal to undertake a 10-week market sounding on options to renovate or replace Fire Station No. 1.
It would cost millions to retrofit the 1958-vintage fire hall, at 1234 Yates St., to meet current seismic standards. But that still wouldn’t address the fact that the vehicle bays are not big enough for modern trucks.
City staff said the market sounding is not a formal request for proposals. Rather, it’s an opportunity to sound out partnership opportunities with curious individuals or organizations.
Councillors have suggested a replacement facility could house facilities such as a new library or emergency operations centre.
Councillors also received good news regarding the Point Ellice Bridge.
A 2013 assessment found the bridge in poor to fair condition and recommended complete replacement of the bridge deck, with a total project cost in the $11-million range.
But recent field testing has shown the bridge deck to be in relatively good condition and that replacement is not required. That reduces the estimated cost of repairs to about $3.6 million. Council authorized staff to pursue grant opportunities to offset the costs.
