Centennial Aquatic Centre will not be opening this weekend.
Though the province is allowing pools to open on Friday, it will take a lot of work to open the pool, according to town staff.
Acting director of parks, recreation and culture, Mel Milanovic, said the pool can’t open without an inspection from the local health unit and that could take up to two weeks.
“We will also need to notify the medical officer of health as we have been closed for longer than three weeks,” said Milanovic in an email to CollingwoodToday.ca. “As of today there is no date for the re-opening but staff are working diligently toward that goal.”
There are several new COVID-19 guidelines by agencies including the Life Saving Society, Swim Ontario, and public health, which, Milanovic said, will require some additional staff training and new protocols.
“We also need to hire back staff (lifeguards and facility maintenance), train said staff to the ‘new normal’ as procedures will have changed both in how we deal with life saving protocol and facility maintenance,” he said, adding the town will have to reassess programming offered at the aquatic centre to make sure it’s still safe.
Though there’s no set open date yet, Milanovic said not opening the facility this year is not an option staff are entertaining.
“But everything will be looked at before a decision is made,” he said.
The province is also allowing splash pads to open.
While the Town of Collingwood doesn’t have a splash pad facility, there is one planned for Harbourview Park.
Milanovic said that project is still moving forward and town staff hopes to go out to tender soon for the underground works.