With summer-like temperatures forecast for the rest of May, many are looking forward to cooling off in the sparkling waters of the Martensville Aquatic Centre.
The good news is, they won’t have to wait much longer.
The pool is set to open on Saturday, June 3; one week prior to the city’s Buster Days celebration.
Everything looks good so far,” said Martensville Recreation and Community Services Director Ted Schaeffer in an interview May 11. “We started the maintenance process a little early so we can catch any issues with pumps and filters well before the pool is scheduled to open.
“So far, it looks really good; we haven’t seen any problems at all.”
Schaeffer said one reason things are going smoothly is that some major maintenance issues were tackled over the last couple years. A pump was replaced in 2022; the old pump that was taken out was completely rebuilt and is now serving as a backup. Two years earlier, in 2021, the pool’s heat exchanger was replaced.
The summer pool staff have been hired and are busy preparing the facility for opening day. Schaeffer said there are about 20 full-time and part-time lifeguards in addition to the pool manager.
“The pool employs a lot of young people,” he said. “We draw locally from Martensville, but also from Warman, Saskatoon and other communities in the region. The Martensville kids tend to be the ones that work full-time. Many of the part-time lifeguards also work at other facilities in Saskatoon.”
When the pool manager is not on duty, one of the senior lifeguards takes on the lead responsibility for the pool’s operation. “It gives our senior lifeguards who have been here for a while, the opportunity to get some supervisory experience,” he said.
Schaeffer notes the aquatic centre is a popular place when temperatures climb during the summer months.
“With the hot weather we’re having right now, people are probably chomping at the bit,” he said. “Last year the pool was very busy, and that reflected the long stretches of sunshine and high temperatures. Financially, the pool’s operations are very weather-dependent. We want to try and cover costs as much as possible.
“It takes money to run it, but it also brings in quite a bit of revenue to the city in a good year,” he added. “And most importantly, it’s a great amenity. It’s the focal point for the whole community in the summertime. We draw people not just from Martensville but also from the surrounding rural area and other towns close by.”
Schaeffer said the aquatic centre is running a “full slate” of swimming lessons this year.
“One thing that will be new is we’ve moved away from the Red Cross swim lessons program,” he said. “The Red Cross no longer provides that service, so we’ve moved over to the Canadian lifesaving Society swim lessons program. It’s very similar, and both programs have operated in tandem for years. There are comparable levels so hopefully it shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment for everyone.”
The official end of the Covid pandemic also means limitations on the number of swimmers allowed into the pool at any one time are a thing of the past.
“We’re back to normal again,” said Schaeffer. “The pool has a capacity of 369 people. During the first year of Covid we were only allowed to have a small fraction of that number. Last year was a bit of a transition year, where we started out the season with some restrictions, but by July and August most of those limitations had been lifted.”
Schaeffer said he expects the coming season to be a busy one for the facility.
“It’s getting close to opening,” he said. “Everyone is looking forward to it.”