Progress Presentation to the Centennial Pool Association Board by the Save Centennial Pool Committee
The Save Centennial Pool Committee launched the campaign to Save Centennial Pool last winter after Councillor Waye Mason had called for the disposal of Centennial Pool. In other words – sell it to a developer for UNaffordable condos and apartments in order to raise money for a new 50m competitive level pool that would be built off of the peninsula.
This was directed by Councillor Mason with him saying that Centennial Pool was at the end of its life and would leak again. HRM staff were directed to come up with a plan that would make this happen. There was no consultation or engagement with the Centennial Pool Association or the very active swim community of recreational swimmers, aquacisers, etc. HRM Council had decided to dispose of this public asset that serves the community in the center of the city.
The Save Centennial Pool Committee (SCP) began a public campaign, organized a petition, and established the www.savecentennialpool.ca website. We engaged with the local swimming community. The outpouring of support was amazing (see media section and testimonials on the SCP website). We FOIPOPed (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) the engineering studies from the city and had them reviewed by experts. We also did a pool longevity study. This work clearly demonstrated that Centennial Pool Is NOT nearing its end of life!
The SCP Committee presented to HRM Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Committee twice, last January and February. (links on our website).
All along, we have been asking that HRM Council direct city staff to explore the option of saving Centennial Pool and building a new 50m competitive level pool as an addition to the aquatic facilities in HRM, not as a replacement of Centennial.
Since our CPED presentation we have been promoting the concept of developing an urban park (from the new Cogswell redevelopment to the Halifax Common) as a public asset in the centre of the city. The public services and benefits to the community that developing this property would bring to citizens of HRM are significant and should not be ignored. We proposed enhancing Centennial Pool and its programming to include partnerships with local schools and senior facilities. Additional publicly run recreational and arts and cultural facilities could be built on the site, perhaps pickle ball courts, yoga and/or dance studios, an arts performance space, physio clinic, a medical walk-in clinic.
Imagine linking the redevelopment of the Centennial Pool Property with the recent proposal from the North End Community Land Trust, which is committed to building truly affordable and market housing.
Imagine how amazing it would be for Halifax to have such a wide range of public services, affordable and accessible in the centre of the city. A development that the city and its councillors could be proud of.
Unlike the Gateway Plan, the Urban Park would be a public asset serving all citizens of HRM and the benefits accrued would be returned to the public, not private developers.
In early March, HRM Council approved the Staff Report from the Motion for the “Replacement of 50m Pool” (Item No. 15.4.2).
Our campaign had successfully prompted Council to request the new Training and Competition Aquatic Facility Study (TCAFS). This study will determine the location for a new 50m competitive pool in HRM.
BUT despite our efforts, Council remains unconvinced of the necessity to preserve Centennial Pool or to add an additional pool in HRM.
Regarding the New Aquatic Facility Study (TCAFS), HRM staff have been actively working on it since the late spring. Meetings with Swim NS and other designated stakeholders such as Myrtha Pools, have been held or are underway. A Facilities Inventory Assessment is planned for the fall of 2024.
HRM’s approach with the new Facilities Study raises serious questions and concerns:
Once again, HRM has not involved or engaged in any public consultation in this study which will directly impact the future of Centennial Pool. Swim Nova Scotia, who only represents its members such as the Trojans and Crusaders – competitive level swimmers and organized swim programs, has been actively involved in the New Facilities Study. The local swimming community, the recreational lane swimmers, aquacisers, or the Centennial Pool Association has NOT been engaged or included in this study.
- Why has Centennial Pool, the local swimming community, the Centennial Pool Association, NOT been considered a stakeholder in the discussions involving a new Aquatics Facility?
- How does Centennial Pool get recognized as a stakeholder and engage with the process?
- How can Centennial Pool convince the city that an additional pool for HRM and not just a replacement is needed?
- How can we convince the city to consider the Urban Park idea?
- How can we convince the city to keep this public asset public and not sell it off to developers as it has done in the past with Saint Patrick’s Alexandra, Bloomfield, or St. Pat’s High to name a few?
These were some of the questions we had in the late spring early summer of 2024.
The SCP Committee took a break from the busy winter campaign while trying to figure out the path forward … then … the Downtown Gateway Comprehensive Plan came before council!
With the Downtown Gateway Comprehensive Plan (Item No. 15.1.2) coming before Council on August 6, 2024 it became apparent that the city has already decided that the new 50m pool will be a replacement, not an addition to the number of pools in HRM and Centennial Pool be disposed of as per the original motion from June 2022.
What is the Gateway Plan?
The origin of the Gateway Plan goes back to February 26, 2019 with a motion moved by Councillor Mason followed by related motions on March 7, 2023 (Item No. 12.1) also by Councillor Mason directing staff to initiate a comprehensive planning process for the Downtown Gateway Lands.
The report describes the Gateway Lands as consisting of the triangle of land banded by Cogswell, Rainnie Drive and Gottingen Street and includes the Halifax Police Department Headquarters property.
The 86-page Gateway Plan and executive summary, was presented to HRM Council by Dali Salih, the key municipal planner. (https://cdn.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/240806rc1512.pdf)
The report was completed by Fathom Studio, an outside consulting agency from Dartmouth. Note that the date on the report is February 7, 2023 – about a year before the SCP Committee presented to CPED).
The Gateway Lands have been described as almost six hectares of underused land that has a lot of potential.
The Fathom report describes the area as a major gateway into the downtown signified with open space and public art installations. The report states that:
- Signature architecture will be located at the prominent corner framed by Cogswell, Rainnie Drive and Gottingen Street. (Note this is where Centennial Pool now stands).
- Cogswell Street will be transformed into an active boulevard to serve residents;
- Major elements would include the Cogswell corridor with bike and pedestrian pathways;
- Rainnie Drive Plaza would be converted into a “pedestrian urban plaza and/or cultural corridor”;
- There could be “destination facilities” like “fountains, playgrounds, interpretive nodes, sidewalk cafes, gardens and public art”;
Councillor Mason has been quoted as saying that adding height on the site would make sense.
When you look through the plan, you will find that the drawings, maps and illustrations show a series of large towers and buildings filling the property. There are 1200 housing units and 1900 underground parking spaces are proposed. Note that in searching the documents the word affordable is found only twice, an insignificant consideration for the plan.
On the surface it looks like an impressive project for redevelopment until you realize that there is NO CENTENNIAL POOL. This plan, prepared in 2023, whose origins go back to 2019 and was presented to Council on August 13, 2024, has NO CENTENNIAL POOL.
When you look at Chapter 1, page 1 of the Fathom report, the second paragraph states that “With the impending removal of the Canadian Blood Services Building (CBS) and the aging Centennial Pool Facility, this part of the district is ripe for redevelopment ….”
It could not be any clearer – HRM Council and the city planners had decided a long time ago that Centennial Pool was disposable.
While the Save Centennial Pool Committee was presenting to CPED last January 2024, when 1500 people were signing the petition to save Centennial, when CBC’s Gareth Hampshire was interviewing Linda Hunt and Nigel Kemp, the Fathom Report had already been written with plans to sell the Gateway Lands (public lands) to developers.
Note that at the time we were presenting to the CPED, no city councillor, no planners, or the head of Parks and Recreation informed us that the Gateway Project was in the works.
When the legion of city planners and outside consultants were preparing these reports, the fact that Centennial is a public asset on public land servicing and benefitting the citizens of HRM was completely ignored.
There is something drastically wrong when the city, the Council, or the planning department, can make such a decision without engaging the public and the community.
The lack of community engagement is the same concern that was raised in our presentation to CPED after the original motion that a new 50m competitive pool be built as a replacement for Centennial.
If the Gateway Lands are up for redevelopment, then why aren’t all options of how to redevelop the lands being considered? It is public land – a public asset, why not consider the idea of an “urban public park” as we have suggested.
If HRM spent a fraction of what it cost for the planners and Fathom Studio to come up with a plan that keeps Centennial Pool, then added recreational, public services and a requirement for affordable housing, just imagine what an amazing Gateway to Downtown Halifax that would be!
When the city fails to engage with the public and the local community of swimmers (including the Centennial Pool Association), it is dismissing and/or ignoring the reasons for saving and protecting Centennial Pool as a public asset that serves the growing population. A public asset that is affordable and accessible in the heart of the city.
Our current Mayor and Council are dismissing the reasons to Save Centennial Pool:
- the positive Economic Impact
- the Public Need for Public Facilities
- the Accessibility and Affordability
- the Health and Wellness benefits
- the Heritage, Culture and Architectural significance, and,
- the impact on the Climate and Environment
Moving forward, we believe the city must recognize Centennial Pool as a valuable, historically significant public asset that is essential for its citizens’ health and wellness. The environmental impact and potential benefits of enhancing the pool’s facilities and services are crucial considerations for the city’s future.
The Gateway Plan is the bulldozer waiting in the parking lot. It is only a matter of time. It is not going to come down before a new 50m Pool is in place. But it will come down, if the Gateway Plan, as it is written, becomes a reality unless the Centennial Pool Association, the local swimming community and the public convince HRM to Save Centennial Pool.
Again, serious questions and concerns are raised by HRM’s approach with the Gateway Plan:
- How does Centennial Pool become a stakeholder in the Gateway Plan as well the New Facilities Study?
- How does Centennial Pool get HRM to consider all options in developing the Gateway Lands that considers our vision of a publicly owned Urban Park that includes Centennial Pool?
- How does Centennial Pool get HRM to pause and rethink how it disposes of public land and prevent the mistakes like St. Pat’s A, Bloomfield and St. Pat’s High from happening again?
- How do we convince HRM to hear not only our voice but to listen to what we are saying?
- How can we effect the change we seek? How can we Save Centennial Pool?
The Path Forward?
- Become a stakeholder, at the table of the New Facilities Study to persuade HRM to add a new 50m Pool and NOT replace Centennial.
- Become a stakeholder, at the table of the Gateway Project to explore the option of keeping Centennial Pool as a component of the Urban Park – retaining public lands in the hands of the public and not in those of private developers.
- Become involved in the current municipal election for mayor and council making Save Centennial Pool an election issue. We already have some key candidates supporting our position.
- Relaunch our public campaign to save Centennial Pool.
The Save Centennial Pool Committee is looking for your input, suggestions and help as to how to proceed. As a very small group of volunteers, the task of trying to Save Centennial Pool from the HRM bulldozer is beyond our abilities, energy and skills. We need help!
Keep Swimming,
Trevor Brumwell
902-719-9753 (call/text)
Save Centennial Pool Committee