$185M budget floated for Fort St. John replacement pool project

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John has released the first concept designs for the new pool facility, with an estimated price tag of $185 million. 

Fort St. John’s aquatic facility working group took on the project in September 2025, after the Peace River Regional District announced its departure from the North Peace Leisure Pool replacement, leaving the project to the City of Fort St. John.

The working group has been conducting public engagement to inform decisions on which amenities to include in the new pool, and has stated that the municipality intends to break ground on the project in 2027.

According to a presentation included in the March 23rd City of Fort St. John council meeting, the new aquatic facility could cost $185 million. 

The proposed budget, which includes a 20 per cent “construction contingency,” contains three different funding scenarios.

In scenario one, the city borrows $60 million with voter approval, and the remaining funds are obtained through capital fundraising, Peace River Agreement funds, $40 million in city reserve funding, and regional and senior government funding. In this scenario, the average increase for residential property taxes is $17.68 a month.

Capital fundraising would involve seeking sponsors through collaborations, naming rights contracts and assorted partnerships from businesses and individuals. 

Scenario two outlines the city borrowing $75 million, and after acquiring the remaining balance through the aforementioned means, the average increase in residential property taxes is $22.11 per month.

The final scenario sees the city borrow $90 million and raise the remaining funding through the above means, while increasing residential property taxes by $26.53 per month. 

The current pool concept includes the following amenities:

• Eight-lane 25-metre pool with one and three-metre diving boards
• Three-lane 25-metre pool with warmer water
• A leisure pool with a lazy river and a 15-metre area for swimming lessons
• Splash pad spray features
• Sauna and steam rooms
• A hot pool
• A waterslide
• Change rooms
• Second-floor spectator seating
• Assorted storage, multi-purpose rooms and leased office spaces
• A cafe
• An enhanced lobby space, reception and administration areas
• Public washrooms
• Officials room and change rooms
• 11-v-11 full indoor sports field able to be divided into two nine-v-nine or four five-v-five fields

The presentation also includes some amenities that might be included “provided funding targets are met”:

• Drop slide
• Ninja cross course
• Aquatics climbing wall
• Cold plunge pool

According to the staff presentation, the projected operating costs for the new aquatic facility in 2030 are $7.31 million. The current leisure pool and Kids Arena Fieldhouse will cost $5.59 million to operate in 2030. 

The report and concepts will be presented to the City of Fort St. John council during the March 23rd committee of the whole meeting at 1 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall on 100th Street. 

To read the full report, see below.