Laurentian University to start tests on pool to determine cost of repairs

Laurentian University will start tests in February to determine what condition the Jeno Tihanyi Pool is in, said the university's interim president.

The Olympic-sized swimming pool closed in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and never reopened, because of the university's financial difficulties.

In February 2021 Laurentian announced it was insolvent, and in April that year it cut 72 programs.

The school exited its insolvency proceedings, under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) on Nov. 28, 2022, and has since worked on rebuilding the programs it has left, and its reputation.

Now the university is reviewing its real estate, and could sell some property and land to help cover its restructuring costs.

Property review

To that end, the province said in May 2022 it would purchase $53.5 million worth of Laurentian-owned land or buildings. But it has not provided more details since then.

In an email to CBC News, Laurentian interim president Sheila Embleton said the university hopes to update the community about the results of its tests at the pool by April 30.

"This is an important step towards understanding the required financial investment involved," Embleton said.

"It remains unlikely,however,that the university will be able on its own to bear the costs associated with the operations of the pool and will need to seek external investment."

Dean Henze, head coach of the Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club, said he visited the pool on Friday, Jan. 27, and saw it was already three-quarters full.

"My understanding is that they're filling it up so they can take a look at how the valves and the pumps have managed over the last year of being dry," he said.

The Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club regularly used the pool for practices and competitions before it closed.

Henze said it is the only Olympic-sized swimming pool located between Toronto and Thunder Bay, Ont.

"So you know, all the communities from Sault Ste. Marie, to North Bay, to Hearst depend on that pool for big swim meets and training camp opportunities and things like that," Henze said.

Henze said the pool's future will come down to the level of repairs it needs, and whether Laurentian can get support from the province or city to keep it open.