Langley Township has announced plans to build a new Aldergrove recreation centre, using cash on hand. It is set to open in May, 2018 — which, conveniently, is just a few months before the next municipal election. Total cost will be just under $26 million.
The plans for a new ice rink and pool will be controversial. The pool will not be a fully-enclosed indoor pool. It will be open to the elements — yet it will be open even during the wet and cool months, the Township says.
The pool will be heated using energy that will also be used to cool the ice in the adjacent ice rink, which is to replace the existing Aldergrove Arena.
Many Aldergrove residents were counting on an enclosed pool similar to others in the Township. They will be sorely disappointed, as using an outdoor pool in the winter months is an untried experiment in B.C. Given Aldergrove’s small population base, it is likely the pool will be all but deserted in the cool and wet months.
Some residents will also be upset with plans to demolish the Aldergrove Elementary building on the site, one of a handful of designated heritage sites in Aldergrove, according to a 1995 listing of Langley Township heritage resources.
Nonetheless, the Township is being fiscally responsible by scaling back plans in order to avoid borrowing money. Even at low interest rates, borrowed money means higher taxes long into the future. It makes far more sense to build something that is affordable than to get over-extended.
There is no question that Aldergrove needs a recreation facility that will attract people of all ages. The 550-seat hockey arena will be a key attraction, as the Aldergrove Kodiaks already attract good crowds during the hockey season.
Whether the pool aspect of this facility will prove to be equally attractive is an unresolved question.