I learned to swim one summer at the Kensington outdoor pool.
There’s really nothing quite like swimming outdoors when the sun is shining – you just never want it to stop.
Swimming inside, however, isn’t as good, especially if you have to do it at CG Brown pool.
I grew up in North Burnaby and always hated swimming at CG Brown. It was dark like a dungeon.
Since moving back to Burnaby, I do all of my swimming at Eileen Dailly because it has these huge windows that brighten up the place. It’s not swimming outside, but it’s pretty close. Edmonds is pretty nice too because of the natural light.
So I feel bad for people whose closest pool is CG Brown. It was terrible in the 1970s when I used it, so it’s likely far worse in 2019.
Which is why it’s such good news that the City of Burnaby is replacing the pool, as well as Burnaby Lake Arena. (I have no thoughts on the arena.)
The city is now asking residents what they’d like to see in the new aquatic and arena facility through a survey that launched this week.
“CG Brown Pool and Burnaby Lake Arena were both built in the early 1960s and have reached the end of their useful life,” said a news release. “The city plans to replace them with a new aquatic and multi-sport arena facility on the same site within the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex. The goal is to design the best-possible facility to meet the community’s needs today and into the future. Information gathered through a survey – as well as pop-up events and an open house planned for June – will help to inform plans for the new facility.
An open house is set for Wednesday, June 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at CG Brown Pool (3702 Kensington Ave.)
Drop by, fill out the survey, and share your thoughts at these events:
• Hats Off Day, June 1, 2019 - 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Metrotown, June 15 - (City of Burnaby Kiosk near food court), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Lougheed Town Centre, June 22 - (outside London Drugs), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Canada Day Festival at Edmonds Community Centre, July 1, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The project development, feasibility and design work for the new facility is expected to take approximately 18 months, through 2020. The project budget is being developed during this phase. Construction is expected to begin in 2021, with completion in 2024.
To take the survey, click here.
