The University of Victoria swimming pool that supported the training of nine Olympians and Paralympians — including Ryan Cochrane and Stephanie Dixon, two of Canada’s most decorated swimmers — will close this fall.
The university says McKinnon Pool, a fixture for campus recreation and elite athletes for more than 50 years, has reached the end of its life and is too costly to maintain.
Michelle Peterson, director of operations for varsity athletics, said the pool deck and mechanical operations are showing their age and it’s estimated upgrades would cost more than $1.5 million.
The pool, which is expected to close by Sept. 15, is primarily used by varsity teams, Pacific Coast Swimming club and some student and alumni clubs, with little use by students, faculty and staff, according to UVic.
The university has to balance the significant cost of upgrading and maintaining the facility alongside investments in infrastructure and programming that benefit the entire campus community, UVic executive director of athletics Nicole Greengoe said in a statement.
Peterson said Wednesday there have been no discussions about the future of the space at this point.
In the short term, access to the McKinnon building’s change rooms, washrooms and showers will continue to be available for commuters to campus, as well as to students, staff, faculty and sport groups that participate in classes and programs in the building.
Recreation and competitive sport programming will continue at McKinnon gym and at the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA).
The Vikes varsity swim program and Pacific Coast Swimming have plans to move to municipal pools in the region, and UVic said it will assist student aquatic clubs to relocate their activities, where possible.
It said recreational swimmers can access nearby pool facilities at Gordon Head and Oak Bay recreation centres.
Greengoe said the pool’s legacy will live on through the stories and experiences of those who “have had a long relationship with this facility and who have enjoyed the pool, trained and excelled here.”
That includes Cochrane, who competed in four Olympic Games from 2008 to 2016, winning silver and bronze medals in 2012 London and 2008 Beijing, respectively.
As a 19-year-old Olympic rookie in 2008, Cochrane briefly held the Olympic record in the 1,500-metre freestyle before going on to win bronze. It was also Canada’s first Olympic medal in the 1,500-metre freestyle in 88 years.
UVic varsity swimming alumni also include Dixon, who won 19 Paralympic medals during her career. She was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2018.
>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected]
