Future of unused swimming pool in Ross River still unclear, as Yukon gov't does more assessments

The future of the swimming pool in Ross River, Yukon, is still in limbo as the territorial government conducts further assessments on the building's structural integrity.

The indoor pool has sat empty and unused since 2018, and was officially condemned after its last assessment.

Last month, Stacey Hassard, Yukon Party MLA for Ross River, sent the Yukon Government a petition with 113 signatures, and letters from the community's youth, urging officials to re-open the pool.

On Friday, the Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn wrote a letter to Hassard in response, saying is department had done necessary upgrades to the pool's mechanical systems.

"However, the pool has not opened given results of a building assessment by [the department of] Highways & Public Works in 2023, which identified further structural safety issues associated with the building's foundation and structure," Mostyn wrote.

He said more assessments will be done this summer to determine whether the pool can be repaired and eventually re-opened.

"Once this is completed scope and timelines will be determined by officials," he wrote.

Mostyn also wrote that government staff are actively working with the community of Ross River to make "other aquatic opportunities" available to the community including a three-day swim camp, as well as possible canoeing and kayaking opportunities closer to the community. 

Hassard calls the minister's response disappointing and frustrating.

"How frustrated can you get before you give up?" he said in a recent interview.

Hassard said the reason the town's pool wasn't re-opened in 2023 was because the assessment at that time showed the building was unsafe. He wants to know why another assessment is being done instead of work to address the outstanding issues.

"If they had this assessment work that showed that there's structural problems, why are we not dealing with those issues?" he asked. "I mean, why are we continuing to pay for assessments if we're not going to do anything?"

Hassard said the worst part is that young people in the community are at risk of being let down by the government. He said it was the students at the Ross River school who led this latest push to have their pool reopened.

"What faith does that leave for those students to think that it's worth their time to try and stand up and try and show leadership?" Hassard asked. "Because the government essentially ignores it or just kind of passes it off. To me that's the most frustrating part."