City councillors made a splash yesterday, approving construction of a natural swimming pond in Borden Park.
“We have an outdoor pool strategy and I think this moves it along,” Coun. Karen Leibovici said during the capital budget debate. “I think it would be a missed opportunity not to do this in the next three years.”
Replacing the current outdoor swimming pool, the $14.5-million pond will have a natural filtration system and “instead of decks, there’s sand and beach,” explained community services manager Linda Cochrane.
Borden Park used to have a wading pond, so the plan brings back its history, said Roger Jevne, director of community facility services.
“Rather than putting in another traditional pool, we thought we could build something between a swimming pool and a lake,” he said.
The current pool was built in 1925, and is the only outdoor pool — of five in total — in the city’s north end.
“I think we need to take a look at the northeast area of the city … and deliver some of the things we do to the rest of the city,” said Mayor Stephen Mandel.
