Tillsonburg pool slated to open

Workers have been busy working to complete the tiling on the pool deck. Once the pool is open, programs will resume. Along with the pool, there is a new second floor meeting room, a barrier-free pool viewing area, a health club addition and a new customer service base. (Jeff Helsdon Photo).

Jeff Helsdon

An updated completion schedule for the addition and renovation at the Tillsonburg Community Centre has pushed the completion date back to Jan. 31.

An update report that was scheduled to be presented to council on Monday night, set the new date, citing delays in delivery of material and a revised exterior grading plan requiring modifications. The delays will bring an additional price tag of $13,880 for another two months of oversight from project manager a+ Link. There will be a push to partially open the expanded health club prior to that date.

Interviewed prior to the completion of the report, Chris Baird, project manager for the addition and refurbishment of the Tillsonburg Community Centre, said drywalling is done, and tiling of the pool deck is the big task remaining.

“It’s just really dependent on the tile work and how quickly that gets done,” he said, adding the task is tiling what is equivalent to half a football field with two-inch-square tiles.

The project includes replacing the pool deck and coping. The pool basin tiles were cleaned and regrouted. Outside of the pool area, other additions include a new second-floor meeting room, a barrier-free second-floor pool viewing area, an addition to the health club and a new customer service base.

“We’re going to push that as the new entrance,” Baird said.

He was hired by the town as project manager to work two days a week after Director of Recreation, Culture and Parks Julie Columbus left earlier this year. Baird had worked in that position on an interim basis prior to Columbus’ hire and was familiar with the project.

Since the construction started in spring 2023, there have been delays due to availability of structural steel and other building materials. The original opening date of May 2024, was pushed to September and now December. Baird acknowledged residents’ frustrations, and he is pushing the contractor to stay on schedule. He is also sticking to the budget modification that was passed by council this summer, adding $418,000 to the $5.12 million original cost.

“We want this open as soon as possible,” he said. “You can only push so hard because we don’t want to compromise quality. We know it’s been an inconvenience.”

When the work is complete, cleaning needs to take place as well as instruction in how the new mechanical systems operate.  Baird said exterior work may continue after the interior updates are done as there is a wait for a few pieces for the façade.

A video update for the project posted by the town provides visual insight into what has been completed to date.