After more than five decades, the Frank J. Dunn Pool at Carlton Comprehensive Public High School is set to close.
The Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division (SRPSD) and City of Prince Albert made the joint announcement on Wednesday. A final closing day has not been set.
“There certainly has been a process to it,” said Jody Boulet, Director of Parks, Recreation & Culture for the City of Prince Albert. “It wasn’t a sudden decision by any means. We have been in conversation with Sask Rivers School Division over the past two to three years around our current infrastructure and what we were working towards, being the new Lake Country Coop Leisure Center and the aquatic space within that.”
Boulet said there were number of challenges the City faced with keeping the Frank Dunn Pool open. The biggest was that hosting criteria for swim competitions have evolved to the point where the pool didn’t qualify to host events. Boulet said it’s hard to justify operating a pool that couldn’t host competitive swim events.
He said the Frank Dunn space also restricted their ability to offer new aquatic programs, something they won’t have a problem with in the new indoor pool.
At more than 50 years old, Boulet said they were also worried about increased maintenance costs for the Frank Dunn Pool. In 2024, the City contributed slightly more than $350,000 in operating costs for the pool. The City covers 62 per cent of operating costs under the joint use agreement, with Sask. Rivers covering the remaining 38 per cent. The two parties split capital expenses 50/50.
Boulet said the state-of-the-art Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre will open in the spring of 2025, marking a new chapter in local aquatics and recreation.
“The Frank J. Dunn Pool holds a special place in the hearts of many,” said Boulet. “While it’s bittersweet to see it retire, the new Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre will provide even greater opportunities for recreation and education.”
The Frank J. Dunn Pool was built in 1973-74. Over the years, the pool has provided countless opportunities for students and residents, from swimming lessons to recreational programs.
“The Frank J. Dunn Pool has been an iconic part of our school and community life. Its closure is the end of an era, but we’re excited for the future with this exceptional new facility,” Mike Hurd, Superintendent of Facilities for SRPSD said.
Like Boulet, Hurd said age was a factor in the decision to shut the pool down.
“It’s ageing,” he explained. “We’ve tried to maintain it as much as we can over the years but those facilities have a life cycle and that one is nearing the end of it and so there would have to be some capital put into it and operating costs are quite high. Without a partner like the city, it will be difficult for the school division to find the budget to maintain it.”
Hurd said the City of Prince Albert and Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division are committed to ensuring a smooth transition as the community moves forward with the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre.
“We have a decommissioning plan. We’ve agreed to it with the city, when the pool is closed and fully operating at the new Lake Country Co-op Aquatic and Recreation Centre, then we will tender the decommissioning plan,” Hurd concluded.
Hurd said they have no immediate plans for the Frank J. Dunn Pool space. The plan is to “mothball” the area, keeping minimum heat going while the division’s facilities committee decide on a future for the space.
“You want to make sure with a building that size and the amount of money that would cost, you want to make sure you have a good solid plan going forward and the space is going to be utilized and needed,” Hurd said. “Right now we don’t need the space, so the best thing to do is just take our time, decommission it, and then plan down the road as to what the best use for that space would be for the school division.”
–with files from Jason Kerr/Daily Herald
