One of N.L's largest recreation spaces is about to close for a year

The Aquarena will be a vital piece of sporting infrastructure for the St. John's Canada Games in 2025, but to get it ready it will need to shut its doors for about a year.

Director and general manager Craig Neil said the facility will most likely close the first week of September.

"We really do not want to see it close," he said, but it's necessary.

"We have to get it up to speed so that it will be able to be used by people for many, many years to come."

The long shutdown will see many upgrades to the aging facility, which was built for the 1977 Canada Games, the last time St. John's hosted the national athletics competition.

The work will take about a year, said Neil, and the goal is to first get it open for elite athletes to be able to train for the Games.

"Then recreational users to be brought back after that point in time."

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It's not just the pool that's closing.

The upstairs and downstairs gyms will also have to be shut down,as well as the building's Tim Hortonsoutlet. Neil said organizers did consider closing the building piece by piece and doing the work in sections but it likely would have meant a longer overall closure.

"So we felt that this was the best attack, the best way to make it happen as quickly as we could to get prepared for Canada Games."

Aquarena director Craig Neil discusses massive construction project for facility set to start in September

1 year ago

Duration 2:09

Neil said the entire facility will close for about a year

Memorial University awarded the$15.2-million contract, paid for the provincial government,to Bay Roberts-based Can-Am Platforms & Constructio..

A government spokesperson told CBC News thatNewfoundland and Labrador has committed$24.6 million, including HST,to support required upgrades to the Aquarena and Field House to ensure the facilities meet hosting standards for the Games.

The work will include replacing the original bulk heads, upgrading diving boards andadding a new three-metre diving platform.

Some of the office and event rooms will have to be removed to make way for fans and athletes.

"There's going to be some permanent bleachers put in," Neil said. "Theslides are going to go out, and this is going to look more like a competitive environment that they'll need for Canada Games."

But Neil assuredfans of the Aquarena's big blue water slides that while they will be removed, the plan is to install a new one afterthe Games are over.

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