Mayor aims to reopen Sherbrook Pool

Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz saidhe's working on ways to find $2.8million to repair and reopen the Sherbrook Pool as soon as possible.

The pool in the city's West End closed a year ago because of structural problems.

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Since then, a group dubbed Friends of the Sherbrook Pool have been lobbying for the 81-year-old structure to be repaired and reopened.

Among them are a group of Muslim women who run a swimming program at the pool.

Ahlam Jasim coordinates the all-female program and said the Sherbrook Pool provides an ideal location because of its lack of windows.

This is the only way to have exercise for our ladies and to learn how to swim, said Jasim. Our swimmers will be absolutely thrilled.

For other groups, it may be too late. The Sherbrook Sharks swim club has seen 40 per cent of its membership quit since they were forced to relocate to the Cindy Klassen pool.

We had to change our practice times, lower the number of hours. We dont have the community feel as much, said Karla Dueck Thiessen, the president of the club.

Katz saidthe community has been clear it wants that pool to be opened so that's what he is aiming to do, even if it takes a creative solution to find the cash.

"If you look at my track record, every single commitment that I've made has been fulfilled. This isn't a commitment but this is something that I believe we can accomplish," Katzsaid. "Stay tuned. You'll get that announcement when we finalize everything."

He didnt say when the pool may reopen.