North Peace Leisure Pool hot tub closes permanently

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Pipe breaks were discovered within the pool deck concrete at the North Peace Leisure Pool the week of June 19th. (City of Fort St. John)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — After numerous unsuccessful repair attempts, the City of Fort St. John has announced the permanent closure of the North Peace Leisure Pool hot tub.

According to a release from the city, staff and specialized contractors have investigated and addressed multiple pipe breaks within the pool deck concrete. Despite their efforts, they faced several significant challenges during the repair process, including the absence of accurate asbuilt drawings and the encasing of piping in concrete.

The city also said specific piping materials used during construction have degraded as a result of the combination of heat and chemicals necessary for the hot tub to operate safely.

The hot tub has been out of service for several years due to mechanical issues requiring significant repairs.

Trevor Bolin, chair of the North Peace Leisure Pool Commission and the North Peace Leisure Facility Replacement Steering Committee, acknowledged the frustrations surrounding the hot tub’s permanent closure.

“Further repairs are not feasible,” said Bolin.

“Despite the challenges posed by an aging facility, our dedicated team will continue working diligently to ensure its usability until a suitable replacement is built.”

Bolin added the North Peace Leisure Facility Replacement Steering Committee will remain committed to developing a plan for a new facility in the near future.

The committee is actively working on completing a feasibility study that will indicate the best options for replacing the current aging pool.

The feasibility study will cover a variety of topics, including what features will be included in the new facility, estimated construction cost, proposed location, and the business case for a new facility, including some of the operating costs and revenue projections.

No decisions on a new leisure pool facility have been made at this time. When a decision is made to move forward with the project, community members will be asked to vote to approve any borrowing of funds required to build the new facility.

More information about the planning process for the project and community input can be found here.

The North Peace Leisure Pool opened in 1996. It’s owned by the Peace River Regional District and operated by the City of Fort. St John.