The Lions Pool at the Canada Games Centre will close Aug. 12 for approximately seven weeks for a major maintenance project, the city’s manager of property management explained this morning.

Peter O’Blenes said the closure is needed to replace all of the tiles that line the bottom of the pool, as they have reached the end of their lifespan.

O’Blenes said the annual summer shutdown for routine maintenance is normally three weeks, but the lengthier closure is needed because of the size of the job.

Replacing the tiles is estimated to cost $500,000, he said.

O’Blenes and pool supervisor Karen Zaidan held a briefing this morning to explain the need for the extra-long closure.

They explained staff have noticed tiles breaking off. That can create debris in the water and impact filter equipment, create unsafe edges for swimmers and pool users and cause damage to other pool surfaces.

The project will include removal of old tiles from the bottom, preparation, cleaning, and repair of the subsurface with epoxy and water sealant and installation of new tiles, along with other routine maintenance.

The pool bottom is 438 square metres, or 4,715 square feet.

Zaidan said they know the pool is an important piece of recreation infrastructure.

Staff at the Games Centre are ready to provide programming alternatives for users during the closure, she said.

Staff recognize the pool is an important for people using it, such as seniors for healing or general fitness, Zaidan said.

Programming alternatives include introduction to the wellness centre, nordic walking, chair yoga, senior drop-in sessions, walking track fitness stations and group classes.

Users can also contact the Canada Games Centre for other alternatives, it was noted this morning.

O’Blenes said cracking of tiles can occur during a simple seismic event that might displace a tile somewhat, but once water gets under the tile, the problem can travel.

The city wanted to do the work last year but could not find anyone to bid on the job because the contracting industry in Whitehorse is quite busy, he said.

Nobody bid again this year, he said, but they have made arrangements with the local tile supplier, Beaver Contracting, to carry out the project.

The tiles, he noted, are already here.

The pool area will have to be sealed off from the rest of the Games Centre because of the amount of dust the work will create.

Once the work is complete, the entire pool facility will need to be cleaned before it can re-open.

The Lazy River section of the pool facility will not have to be done as it was already done three years ago as part of the regular maintenance program.

The pool opened in 2002, in advance of the 2007 Canada Winter Games hosted by Whitehorse.

The Lions Pool – named after the Lions Club – was originally located in the building known today as the Yukon Convention Centre, beside the former High Country Inn.