THAMES PARK POOL UPDATE:
As you might have seen, staff made the incredibly difficult decision to recommend decommissioning the Thames Park Pool. This pool is a community treasure, with over 25,000 visits annually, making up 30% of total outdoor pool visits for the City of London pools. This beloved pool is in a floodplain, and the consultant report which reviewed the source of the structural failure in 2022, indicated that groundwater under the pool was freezing and expanding, which was breaking the bottom of the pool. You can read the staff report here.
Media coverage on initial report:
The report from staff came to the Community and Protective Services committee on Tues March 21st. Based on the feedback from community members, I crafted a motion with Councillor Ferreira, that recommended the following to ensure that current residents will hopefully have the pool back up and running in summer 2024, while undergoing a thorough community engagement and feasibility assessment for future opportunities for the community. You can watch the committee meeting here, Thames Pool begins at minute 30:35.
This is motion that staff will be executing if approved at the April 4th Council meeting. Please reach out to me if you have any questions. My email is [email protected]. You are also invited to my Ward 11 Town Hall on Saturday April 1st, 11am-1pm at 11 Briscoe St West, at the Church of the Epiphany.
Media coverage after committee meeting on March 21st:

Motion to DIRECT civic administration the following;
1. Provide a report by the end of June 2023 to the Community and Protective Services Committee to identify options and associated costs to re-open the Thames Pool with sufficient repairs for safe operation in time for summer 2024. (Options 1 or 2)
2. Conduct a thorough community engagement process starting in Q2 of 2023, and provide the results to Council by the end of Q3 2023. Engagement process will include soliciting feedback on pool vs. splash pad, indoor pool vs. outdoor, pool size and type etc.
3. Develop a comprehensive staff report to come to Council in 2024, including all available options and estimated costs for the future of the Thames Pool if rebuilt or relocated, noting the importance of equitable access across the city. Options to include, but are not limited to;
-Rebuilding a pool in Thames Park that can withstand extreme weather conditions.
-Seeking out a new location for a pool.
-Future potential uses for the recreational opportunities for Thames Park should Thames Pool be decommissioned.
-Funding opportunities from other levels of government and private fundraising.
4. After the staff report has been completed, offer another opportunity for community input via a Public Participation Meeting on the report findings.
5. To provide a report back to a future meeting of the Community and Protective Services Committee regarding the Thames Pool Report that was intended to identify the likely causes of the Thames Pool failure and propose potential solutions to remedy concerns.