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Swimmers bid adieu to outdoor lap pool

The outdoor pool at the University of Victoria’s Ian Stewart Complex closed for the season on Oct. 10
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Users of the Ian Stewart outdoor pool gathered for the final day of the season on Oct. 10. Swimmers are saddened the region’s only outdoor lap pool was drained

More than 50 regular swimmers showed up to the outdoor pool at the University of Victoria’s Ian Stewart Complex on Oct. 10 to mark its final day of the season.

The belief among users is the pool has be drained for the last time this fall. However, there is still hope that UVic could extend the life of the region’s only outdoor lap pool when the results of an upcoming physical assessment are completed. The entire Ian Stewart Complex is currently being reviewed.

“I’m pretty sure it won’t open again, with (the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities) and other facilities already at UVic,” said Daniela Damian, a professor of computer science at UVic. The Gordon Head mother is an avid user of the pool and all her kids learned learned to swim there. She’s been a regular at the Ian Stewart outdoor pool since she moved to Saanich 12 years ago.  There is no pre-determined plan to shut down the pool, said UVic’s director athletics and recreation Clint Hamilton.

“We’re decommissioning the gymnasium and parts of Ian Stewart that are being replaced by CARSA but there is no plan for the tennis courts, the pool and other parts of the Ian Stewart Complex, until the third party consultant present a report on the facility,” Hamilton said.

In the meantime, UVic’s McKinnon pool continues to be available to the Vikes, Pacific Coast Swimming, students and faculty.

“I’m at the (Ian Stuart) pool every summer from the day it opens in May to the day it closes in October,” Damian said. “It’s magical in the mornings when fog and steam are lifting off the water, especially in the fall.”

reporter@saanichnews.com