After being closed for the better part of a year, the pool at the Meadows Community Recreation Centre is being forced to shut down again to fix more cracked tiles.
The tile trouble was first discovered during a warranty inspection 10 months after the southeast Edmonton rec centre opened, when the city found some of the aquatic deck tiles had cracks and were deteriorating.
The pool area was closed for nine months, from September 2015 to June 2016, to replace the mortar bed and all the deck tiles.
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Since the pool reopened just over a year ago, more damaged tiles have been discovered. As a result, the aquatic centre will shut down after the Labour Day long weekend to replace them. The city expects the pool will be closed for about a month, starting on Sept. 5.
The city said an investigation by tile experts pointed to a number of potential issues including installation, faulty tiles and cleaning equipment.
Hard-wheel tires on cleaning machines are being replaced with soft tires.
“PCL has done an excellent job working with us to come up with a solution in a collaborative manner,” said Jesse Banford, director of facility infrastructure delivery with the City of Edmonton.
Banford said the “spider cracking” was discovered on a small percentage of tiles and the city wanted to repair the surface while it was still under warranty.
“We appreciated there are frustrations,” he said. “We are looking to ensure this is being addressed in the most efficient manner.”
The city said unlike the 2015/2016 shutdown when it had to replace the mortar bed and deck tiles, this replacement only involved the ones that are damaged. All other on-site facilities will stay open during the pool closure.
Enza Ritacco said the closure will be inconvenient for her and her friends.
The Meadows is in her neighbourhood and the pool is clean and warm for her seven-and-a-half-month-old daughter Arya.
“It’s annoying, to be honest with you,” Ritacco said. “I feel like this is such a brand new facility. Why is it being shut down for a second time?”
The city said even though just a small number of tiles will be replaced, they need time to cure.
Alternate nearby facilities swimmers can use during the shutdown include the Mill Woods Recreation Center, Terwillegar Community Recreation Center, Hardisty Fitness and Leisure Centre, and Confederation Leisure Centre.
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The city said it would be sending a letter to eligible annual and continuous monthly membership pass holders explaining how they would be accommodated during the shutdown.
Monthly pass holders will get a refund and annual pass holders will have their memberships extended by a month.
The city said it won’t incur any construction costs for the repairs.
The Meadows Community Recreation Centre and the Meadows Library opened Nov. 27, 2014. The centre has a 10-lane, 25-metre fitness pool, two NHL-sized indoor rinks, outdoor baseball diamonds, trails and tracks, an indoor playground, a fitness centre and library.
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