Mechanical issue closes section of North Peace Leisure Pool

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John has temporarily closed the leisure pool and water slides at the North Peace Leisure Pool, citing a mechanical issue.

According to a media release from the City of Fort St. John on July 3, staff identified an issue with a circulation pump.

“During routine monitoring, our pool operations staff noticed unusual pressure readings and pump performance issues,” the city said. “Further inspection revealed significant internal corrosion within the pump.”

As a precaution, the city said the equipment was removed immediately to prevent further damage to pool systems and infrastructure. 

According to the city, staff identifying the problem early helped avoid a more significant equipment failure that could have affected other components including filtration, heating and water treatment systems.

“The diligence of our maintenance staff allowed us to identify this issue before it became a much longer problem,” said Kylah Bryde, director of community services. “Their quick response helped protect the facility and ensure the safety of both staff and facility users.” 

The city estimates the leisure pool and waterslides will be closed for around two weeks as required repairs are completed. 

While the repairs are ongoing, staff will continue to assess the condition of related equipment and review maintenance schedules to prevent similar issues in the future.

The city said the incident highlights challenges of maintaining aging aquatic infrastructure. 

“The North Peace Leisure Pool has served the community for decades, however, many of its core mechanical systems are approaching the end of their service life and require increasing maintenance and replacement,” the release said. 

“The city is currently advancing the aquatics facility project to address these long-term infrastructure needs and support the growing demand for aquatic and recreational services in our community,” it said. 

Aside from the leisure pool and water slides, the city said the rest of the pool remains open, but encourages residents to check the city’s online drop-in activity schedule for up-to-date information on facility operations and programming.