Centennial Pool: More than a real estate development opportunity!
It’s been a long winter since our December, 2024 update, so here are some items of note that the Save Centennial Pool (SCP) Committee has been working on.
On January 28, 2025, the SCP Committee hosted a planning meeting at the pool. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the next steps in our campaign to Save Centennial Pool.
Discussion was centered on:
- How can we work with the city and become involved in the New Facility Study and the Gateway Project;
- Meeting (January 24/25) with Councillors Virginia Hinch and Laura White;
- Developing a letter writing campaign;
- Celebrating Centennial Pool as a way to raise public awareness and increasing the value of Centennial Pool as a public asset.
Besides the threat of losing Centennial Pool if the Gateway Project goes ahead, or if the New Facilities Study concludes that a new 50m pool would replace Centennial, the HRM Board of Police Commissioners meeting on February 3, 2025 brought Centennial Pool under threat again. HRM staff presented a report that looks at three potential sites for a new HPD Headquarters with the Centennial Pool property as one of them.
The report notes that the preferred site is HPD’s current location at 1975 Gottingen Street with the addition of the Centennial Pool site across the street to make the combined property viable. The other two sites are in Cowie Hill and Burnside.
Note that, to date, no decisions have been made regarding a new Halifax Police Department headquarters, with further studies required, but this report once again illustrates that HRM staff are looking at options for the Centennial Pool property that do not include a pool!
It is important to note that, at this meeting and in a subsequent CBC report, Councillor Virginia Hinch commented for the record that “I would hope that we could go somewhere else other than taking away a vital pool that is in our community.”
To learn more, you can read the report or view the February 3, 2025 video of the Board of Police Commissioners meeting below:
- Report: HPD sites 10.2.1 2024 Updated Facility Plan [PDF]
- Video: February 3, 2025 Board of Police Commissioners New Facilities Discussion (The link should take you directly to the beginning of the Centennial Pool related conversation. If not, fast forward to approximately 19:16 minutes)
In addition, at the HRM council meeting on February 25, 2025, Item 15.3.1 [2024 Updated Facility Plan*(HPD)], Centennial Pool was once again discussed as one of the sites under consideration for a new HPD Headquarters. It is notable that Councillor Laura White brought up Centennial Pool and expressed that she was not comfortable with HPD headquarters on land where there is a pool that is used and loved.
Having Councillors Hinch and White’s support for Centennial Pool on the public record is welcomed and a boost for our campaign.
Once again HRM staffers seem only to value the Centennial Pool property as a piece of real estate for development. HRM fails to consider the historical, cultural, public health benefits, long term economic and environmental impact of the pool and property as a public asset.
HRM Parks and Recreation should be protecting and conserving public lands, recreational facilities and green spaces instead of only viewing Centennial Pool from a real estate and development perspective that is focused on short term financial gains.
Other Pool related items to note
- Nigel Kemp shared Swim England’s Facility Development Toolkit document [3.2 Mb PDF] from Mark Fraser, Master level swimmer and recently named to Swimming Canada’s Board of Directors. The document is intended to support local groups as they protect and grow swimming facilities in England. It was noted that Swim Canada will be producing a similar document. [Swim England]
- Also in recent news, was the announcement of the closing of Acadia University’s Pool. This shocking news is another example of how aquatic facilities in Nova Scotia are in jeopardy. The newly formed Save Acadia Pool group has a big job ahead of them. Here are some ways you can help.
What’s Next
In Spring 2025 the Save Centennial Pool Committee will be:
- pursuing a follow-up meeting with Councillors Hinch and White in April, 2025
- An April Save Centennial Pool Committee meeting.
Feedback, ideas and offers of help are welcome.
Keep Swimming,
Trevor Brumwell
Save Centennial Pool Committee