City of Guelph looking to replace wading pools with splash pads

Three of Guelph's wading pools are going to be getting an overduemakeover as Guelphcity council voted in favour of replacing the wading pools with splash pads.

Currently, Guelph provides one outdoor pool, three wading pools, one interactive water feature in Market Square and five splash pads with an additional two new splash pads on the way.

• Where to cool off: A list of cooling centres in Waterloo Region and Guelph

But according to a report from city staffthe three wading pools, Sunny Acres Park,MicoValeriotePark and Exhibition Park, have been around for quite some time and needed upgrading.

"Our three wading pools in the city are now at the and of their service life and it's time for their replacement," said JanetSperling, manager of open space planning for the city.

Some of the wading pools are over 40 years old. Sunny Acres Park, the oldest, was built in 1947.

• Kitchener staff to improve splash pad safety after boy burned in Georgetown

The report also said the pools need constant staff supervision to meet health regulations and cost around $19,000 per year to operate.

"As the infrastructure gets older, things come off warranty and parts get harder to find," said Sperling. "It does become more costly to operate."

Splash pads use less water

Splash pads on the other hand, are designed to be fully accessible and integrated. Staff are required to do water testing but don't need supervise splash pads full-time. They also use less water than wading pools and cost $15,000 to operate, the report said.

"The splash pads actually matches with the city's strategy for water efficiency because Guelph is dependant on an aquifer for our drinking water and this matches with our current policies," Sperling said.

Sperling said that renovation budgets for Exhibition Park and Sunny Acres Park will be identified in the city's capital budget forecast, which the council reviews and approves on an annual basis.

Mico Valeriote Park had council budget approval this year to begin community engagement for a master plan of theentire park, which will start this fall, Sperling added.