1947 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Oh, I know those have been renovated. But do we have to completely throw away the Crystal?

I never go there, so I'm talking a bit blind, but can't we fix it room-by-room? Is the little cafeteria at the end of its life, the change rooms at the end of their life, the reception area at the end of its life, the weight room, gym or recreation or crafts rooms all at the end of their life?

[aastra]

There's no cafeteria upstairs, if that's what you're thinking of. That's been a dance/yoga space for 20 years at least.

So would they be building another Save-on Foods Centre with a chunk of that $58 million? How can little Oak Bay get away with a larger, superior recreation centre than Victoria has, but for a fraction of that cost?

Is this a case of everything costing so much more in Victoria than anywhere else, or are they really planning to build the biggest, bestest recreation centre on the continent?

UMass Amherst has ushered in a new era of health and fitness opportunities for students with the opening of its new, $50 million Recreation Center. The building has already become a major center of campus life, with more than 2,500 people often exercising there daily. The three-level, 120,000 square-foot building features weight and fitness equipment, a three-court gymnasium, a wellness center, an elevated jogging track, three multi-purpose rooms, locker and shower facilities, space for intramural sports and club offices for skiing, baseball, cycling, crew, fencing, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, rugby and wrestling.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=YYazV-z_Y0I


picture from http://www.gazettene...bef24651c=gnews

[Mike K.]

The CRD had this rule with their consultant working on the sewage treatment plan. I don't know if BC Transit has something similar with regards to the Victoria Regional Rapid Transit project.

I believe the consultant firm has an affiliation with SNC Lavalin, a company that builds LRT infrastructure.

[aastra]

So would it be absurd to wonder about the viability of selling the Crystal Pool property, and then using the money to offset the cost of building a new recreation centre on the surface parking beside the curling club? (with underground parking or maybe rooftop parking?) Or maybe vice versa? Sell the curling club parking with the bonus of highrise zoning and make up for the lost arena parking by putting it underground at the new Crystal Pool?

[Bernard]

I believe the consultant firm has an affiliation with SNC Lavalin, a company that builds LRT infrastructure.

Pacific Laicon is a 100% owned subsidiary of SNC Lavalin and SNC Lavalin is not precluded from bidding on the LRT.

[Mike K.]

Pacific Laicon is a 100% owned subsidiary of SNC Lavalin and SNC Lavalin is not precluded from bidding on the LRT.

There we have it.

[Jacques Cadé]

CFAX's Frank Stanford questions whether Victoria really needs Crystal Pool:

There are a number of public services the city cannot do without. I'm not sure recreation is one of them. Particularly when the service is available not far away. There are more than half a dozen other public swimming pools in the region. (Link)

Seems CFAX listeners agree. Current CFAX poll asks if it's necessary to keep the pool; responses right now are 122 Yes, 210 No.

[martini]

So would it be absurd to wonder about the viability of selling the Crystal Pool property, and then using the money to offset the cost of building a new recreation centre on the surface parking beside the curling club? (with underground parking or maybe rooftop parking?) Or maybe vice versa? Sell the curling club parking with the bonus of highrise zoning and make up for the lost arena parking by putting it underground at the new Crystal Pool?

Langford talking partnership with YM/YW-CA
http://www.cfax1070....news&Itemid=155

"Our next project over the next three, uh, next three years, is going to be a new pool, in conjunction with the "Y"....so it'll be a brand new facility, starting hopefully in January, if we get the support from residents of Langford that'll be our next major project"

[Bingo]

Parking around the pool is in short supply. There are enough pools outside of downtown Victoria that are far superior to the Crystal with adequate parking.

[gumgum]

I bet most voting on that cfax poll don't have young kids. A pool is pretty important to kids and their parents that feel learning to swim is an essential life skill.

[G-Man]

So I should have to drive to a swimming pool? Living in Hillside Quadra I would love to know people's easy suggestion for getting to a pool! The option would be having to drive or a 20 min bus ride or a longer ride with transfers!

[Rob Randall]

The thought of the city of Victoria--the second largest city and capital of the province--without a municipal recreation centre is pathetic.

[jklymak]

^ I agree it would be pathetic. However, maybe we need to tone down our expectations of the civic rec centre. Folks here call Crystal Pool a dump - I had friends up from Seattle who thought it was wonderful, and how lucky we were to have such a nice pool so close to our home. Are there any details on what $58 million is buying us? We probably don't need 13 Commonwealth-quality facilities in the region.

[Mike K.]

Luckily the #6 connects both the Commonwealth and Esquimalt pools.

The thought of the city of Victoria--the second largest city and capital of the province--without a municipal recreation centre is pathetic.

We'd be in a sorry state if neither Esquimalt, Oak Bay or Saanich had pools, but they all do, and Victoria residents have easy access to them all.

[martini]

So I should have to drive to a swimming pool? Living in Hillside Quadra I would love to know people's easy suggestion for getting to a pool! The option would be having to drive or a 20 min bus ride or a longer ride with transfers!

Plus there are many who don't drive. Rob Randall is right. Not having a pool in the city of Victoria would be pathetic.

Where are these kids/folks supposed to go?

ETA: closing this facility will just be the nail in the coffin for families.
Victoria is not kid friendly to begin with. There is very little available rec wise.
I see this targeting the lower income families.

[martini]

Luckily the #6 connects both the Commonwealth and Esquimalt pools.

We'd be in a sorry state if neither Esquimalt, Oak Bay or Saanich had pools, but they all do, and Victoria residents have easy access to them all.

What do you consider easy access?

[Mike K.]

C'mon folks, is taking a 15 minute bus ride to a rec centre really too much to ask and a burden? Are we that immobile and unwilling to go beyond our immediate catchment areas to partake in recreational activities?

One minute we're fighting for amalgamation and arguing for the sharing of services. The next minute we're arguing that every fiefdom needs its own recreational facility and we're somehow negatively impacting the lives of residents who are forced to travel beyond their municipal borders to partake in an activity?

[Mike K.]

I created a little map that shows the existing swimming facilities in the CRD, including UVic's pool that has a daily drop-in session and weekend sessions. Crystal Pool is the white square.

And just for the record I'm not arguing against the Crystal, I'm just pointing out that we're not under-serviced by recreational facilities in the CRD and transit makes it easy for City of Victoria residents to access every pool throughout the CRD.

[martini]

C'mon folks, is taking a 15 minute bus ride to a rec centre really too much to ask and a burden? Are we that immobile and unwilling to go beyond our immediate catchment areas to partake in recreational activities?

One minute we're fighting for amalgamation and arguing for the sharing of services. The next minute we're arguing that every fiefdom needs its own recreational facility and we're somehow negatively impacting the lives of residents who are forced to travel beyond their municipal borders to partake in an activity?

For argument's sake. Take me from Gorge and Washington to the other facilities.

Also what are the cost differences between the facilities?

Usage? Is there a way to determine that?

ETA: I'm not just talking about adults making the trip. What about kids?

[Mike K.]

The simplest choice would be to catch the #11 and get to Oak Bay rec on one bus. The other option is to catch the #8 and transfer to the #26. Both options drop you off at either pool. To get to the Crystal you would catch the #11 and the #6, or walk from Douglas to Quadra and Bay if you don't want to transfer.