UNB looks to partner with Fredericton to build aquatic centre

Talks are underway between the City of Frederictonand the University of New Brunswickabout a potential aquatic centre on the UNB campus.

The partnership would allow the university and cityto share costs ofoperations while maintaining a pool for students and members of the community.

The conversation was prompted byUNB's announcementearlier this year that it would close its Sir Max Aitken Poolin the fall of 2018 because it is"past its useful life."

• Impending UNB pool closure provokes march on City Hall
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• Fredericton group pushes for new aquatics centre to replace doomed UNB pool

Although nothing has been agreed to yet,GeorgeMacLean, vice-president of academics at UNB, has his fingers crossed.

"The conversation has been quite positive, and in recent weeks we've made real progress of the possibility of the partnership between the university and the city," MacLeansaid Wednesday.

The university has also talked to city staff about what the facility might look like, how it would be managed andoperational costs, MacLean said.

"It's very premature to speak of what a structure might look like," he said.

"This is a campus on a hill so there are a lot ofinfrastructureand building-cost questions that we don't have answers to."

Moving beyond a vision

But MacLean said the discussions have dealt with building an aquaticcentre on the east side of the RichardJ.Currie Center, where the parking lot is now.

"We envision anaquaticcentre as part of our healthy living village," he said.

But to take it beyond the vision stage, the university would need a commitmentfrom thecity as a partner.

The partnershipwould need to approach potential donors and look at contributions from the federal and provincial governments.

"In recent weeks I do feel we have made a lot of progress and we've heard good things coming from the city in terms of their overall view. I would caution there are so many specifics in all this that would need to be worked out."

Conversations between faculty and the university's board of governors would also be needed if a partnership goes ahead.

UNB plans to build a new centre to replace the LadyBeaverbrookGym, but at this point, a competitive swimming pool is not part of the complex.

On Tuesday close to 150 people marched to Fredericton's City Hallin support of a new swimming pool for the city.

In June, Mayor Mike O'Brien saidthe citywouldnot pay for a temporary pool, but it would take a leadership role trying to fund a pool through the regional service commission.

"Discussions with UNB have been ongoing for several years, but the talks are re-energized and will continue," O'Brien said in an emailed statement to CBC News on Wednesday.

"However those are but one step in a much larger process that must eventually include the province and federal governments, and how the regional communities will contribute."