Protesters blocked construction crews from entering Coquitlam's Rochester Park yesterday (Tuesday) to stop the neighbourhood pool from being filled in.
The group, led by area resident James MacDonald, is lobbying to keep the 44-year-old pool open and has requested a meeting with city council and staff on the issue.
"Most people in the community have no idea of this decision as there was no public consultation," MacDonald wrote in an email to The Tri-City News. "A community should have a say on what's important to the neighbourhood."
His "Save Rochester Pool" Facebook page has more than 300 followers.
In February, The Tri-City News reported council was considering pulling the plug on the city's oldest pool, citing cracks in the tanks and gutters. With operational costs averaging $77,400 a year and usage low, the pool is heavily subsidized by the city, with taxpayers' cost per visit ranging from $11.05 to $14.60. The total cost to rebuild the pool is estimated at $4 million.
Yesterday afternoon, recreation manager Joyce Fordyce issued a press release on the controversy, saying no decision had been made whether to permanently close the facility.
And she said construction workers on site were protecting the pool from further damage by creating a sand area that will be used for recreational programming at the park this summer.
