The Town of Banff will beef up its grant to The Banff Centre in a bid to ensure residents continue to have access to aquatics programming at the Sally Borden Pool – but not as much as was hoped for.
Based on talks with The Banff Centre, Town of Banff staff had recommended a yearly grant increase of $118,815, from $31,185 to $150,000, to pay for community use and programing at Sally Borden Pool.
As part of 2015 budget deliberations, however, town council ended up granting an additional $40,000 in 2015, $80,000 in 2016 and $120,000 in 2017, wanting to keep operating budget costs down.
“It still supports the Sally Borden Pool,” said Councillor Grant Canning. “It is an important amenity to our community.”
In the absence of a municipally-owned and operated swimming pool, the residents of Banff have been able to access the Sally Borden pool for both instructional and recreational swim programs since it opened in 1984.
The Town entered into an agreement with The Banff Centre in 2003 to provide an annual operating grant of $27,750 to help offset the costs of life-guarded community public swim sessions.
That amount was increased in 2006 by approximately $6,000, but was subsequently reduced to the original amount two years later due to municipal budget cuts. The $27,750 has been provided annually and adjusted to accommodate collective bargaining increases.
The Town’s Recreation Programs and Services Master Plan process has identified programs and service delivery gaps, among them aquatics programs, including swimming for fun and fitness, as well as instructional programming.
Mary Brewster, the Town of Banff’s recreation manager, said The Banff Centre’s costs of operating and maintaining the Sally Borden pool have been increasing annually, with capital improvements also required.
“Additionally, the recruitment and retention of qualified swim instructors and lifeguards for community programs has become increasingly more challenging with employment competition coming from Parks Canada and the new Canmore facility,” she said.
“In an effort to ensure residents continue to have access to quality aquatics programming, an increase in financial support to the Sally Borden Pool is being recommended.”
The average municipal swimming pool operating deficit in Alberta, and throughout most of Canada, ranges between $400,000 and $800,000, depending on the size and type of facility. Capital expenditures vary, again depending on the type of facility and its various amenities.
The cost of construction of an aquatic facility in Banff would be in the range of $8 million to $10 million.
Councillor Stavros Karlos unsuccessfully tried to spread the grant increase over a longer period of time, suggesting $30,000 in year one, and $60,000, $90,000, $120,000 and $150,000 over the following four years.
“The Sally Borden facility asked us for significantly more money in order to assist them with providing that valuable community resource. I do believe it is in our best interest we have that facility available to us. That being said, spreading that out over time and providing funding certainty to them gets us through this budget,” he said.
“I would argue this is good value. I know it’s not exactly what they asked for and the period of time for the ramp up is slightly longer, but I did want to spread it over a longer period.”
Brewster said she would continue to work with the Sally Borden facility manager on the implementation of the agreement, identification of program needs and the development and retention of aquatic staff.
