St. Boniface residents’ Happyland pool fundraising effort approaching annual operating cost

St. Boniface residents say they’re closer than ever to reaching their fundraising goal in hopes of saving Happyland pool.

The Friends of Happyland Pool fundraiser has collected $70,848 in donations and pledges to donate, should the city reverse its decision to close the pool this year.

The group hopes to raise $85,000, which is approximately the average annual cost to operate the pool in recent years.

“We are now asking the city to go back and review this decision, as a community has been able to raise most of the funds needed,” South St. Boniface Residents Association president Teresa Cwik said at a Riel community committee meeting at city hall Tuesday morning.

City council decided to close the pool, along with the Eldon Ross indoor pool in the North End and Windsor Park outdoor pool, in its preliminary budget, with plans to hold public consultations in the summer on a possible new aquatics facility in St. Boniface.

An amendment will allow Windsor Park to stay open until 2025, and Eldon Ross will operate this summer while the city tries to sell it.

Fundraising for Happyland pool will continue, and the city will have “nothing to lose” by keeping the pool open for at least another year as community organizations seek possible third-party ownership, Cwik said.

“We have been in contact with organizations that may be willing to look at operating the pool in the future,” she said. “However, we would need the city to operate the pool this year, as we’re running out of time to put together a plan for this year.

“Keeping the pool open this year would give us the time to explore different options to save the pool for future years.”

In the next 10 years, $3.6 million in capital spending would be required to keep the pool operating.

St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard, who was against the closure of both pools in his ward during the budget process, said the city has a responsibility the maintain pool services, in part, because it’s difficult for the private sector to maintain them.

“It is a significant investment, and I think people recognize that it’s a significant investment, so when there’s a proposed pool closure, the public is consistent in saying that they want to maintain the amenity,” he said.

The Riel community committee requested that the standing policy committee on community services, which meets next week, consider using the funding to continue Happyland operations for summer 2024.

Last year, Happyland pool opened for the summer on June 30.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca