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- Abbotsford wants community feedback on the future of the city’s aquatics
Abbotsford wants community feedback on the future of the city’s aquatics
Public engagement has begun on the city's Aquatic Services and Facilities Strategy
Matsqui Recreation Centre pool, Abbotsford. 📸 City of Abbotsford
This story first appeared in the ______ edition of the Fraser Valley Current newsletter. Subscribe for free to get Fraser Valley news in your email every weekday morning.
As Abbotsford continues to grow—projections show it will surpass 200,000 residents in the next decade—the city is planning to expand its aquatic recreational options. As it drafts its Aquatic Services and Facilities Strategy—slated for implementation by next fall—the city is looking to the community for guidance on next steps, with a range of options for new swimming pools under consideration.
Staff reports, included in the planning process, have shown that the Abbotsford community highly values and often utilizes the city’s two current pools. But these facilities are already operating beyond capacity—with tens of thousands expected to move to the city in the next few years, capacity issues will only worsen.
The community currently has two indoor pools, Matsqui Recreation Centre (MRC) and Abbotsford Recreation Centre (ARC), as well as the outdoor Centennial Pool. All three were built decades ago; MRC was built in 1991, ARC in 1972, and Centennial—the oldest—in 1958.
To address this, the city is considering three main options:
a new 50-metre long “Training Pool,” located at MSA Park, to be built for swim clubs, swimming events, and other fitness swimming activities.
a new “Community Pool” (a multi-tank pool with fun amenities like waterslides and lazy rivers) to replace the existing pool at MRC.
a replacement “Neighbourhood Pool” (a 25-metre, six-lane pool with limited additional amenities) or new “Community Pool” at ARC. The type of pool built at ARC would be determined in the future, based on demand and population growth at that time.
Community members can have their say on the future of Abbotsford aquatics by filling out a survey from the city (open to responses now through Nov. 24).
If you’re looking for more details, you can join upcoming in-person popup events where city staff will be on-site at ARC and MRC to answer questions and gather feedback. Dates for these will be shared on the Let’s Talk Abbotsford page in the coming weeks.
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