Patients uncertain of options after St. Thomas hospital closes longtime therapeutic pool

The closure of a long-time therapeutic pool at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) has left the patients who used it unsure of their next steps.

On Tuesday, hospital officials announced that the saltwater pool, drained last month following a flooding incident, would remain dry, saying in a statement that the move was to "ensure continued safe operations at our hospital."

"Everyone's wondering what they're going to do, because there's no alternatives," said Rob Viscontas, referring to those in his hydrotherapy class. More than 700 people used the pool every month.

"There's no heated pools in the St. Thomas area that does this… There's people way off worse than I am, but I don't know what I'm going to do. It's a weird situation."

In a statement, the hospital said a flooding incident on July 10 impacted "critical hospital infrastructure," including a mechanical room, and an engineering report found that extensive equipment and mechanical upgrades were needed, costing upwards of $350,000.

"At this time, even with extensive and costly repairs, the risk of a future leak cannot be eliminated," the statement read, adding the decision came after a thorough review and an "assessment of the impact on hospital operations."

The engineering report, it said, "highlighted accelerated equipment degradation due to continued exposure to moisture and chlorinated water in the mechanical spaces, including damage to electrical distribution systems in adjacent areas."

"The risk of a recurring leak in the mechanical room is too high, and the decision to not refill the pool is made prioritizing safe operations and to ensure the highest standards of patient care within our community."

The pool was installed in 1990, named after Barbara Turville, a longtime STEGH employee who donated $150,000 during construction of the hospital's south building, which houses its continuing care centre.

Although at the hospital, the pool has not been used by any inpatient programs or patients, and was instead rented by Talbot Trail Physiotherapy, which operates a rehabilitation centre at the hospital.

CBC News contacted Talbot Trail Physiotherapy, but did not receive a response by publication. 

A hospital spokesperson had no additional information to provide on Thursday.

Viscontas had used the pool since before the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as a "godsend" for his right ankle thanks to its roughly 34 C temperature.

A brain aneurysm in 2015 left Viscontas unable to move his right foot. His subsequent recovery, including his daily walks along Sunset Drive has caught the attention of drivers in the area.