Cape Breton West Aquatic Centre

09/10/2024

What are some things the communities would like to see in this facility. What is missing that we need or could use. Like more sports, a walking path, anything? This pool facility was never going to be just a pool, it will have more to be able to sustain it year round. we have several Day care options interested in the facility including the YMCA, Cheticamp has expressed an interest as well. We want it to be community based. So what would you like to see in the facility? What do we need as a community?

Send a message to learn more

09/10/2024

08/08/2024

Press Release for FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 5th 2024.

The Margaree Environmental Association
Disputes Inverness County’s Aquatic Centre Analysis:

Bogus Numbers to Scare Residents about Higher Taxes

The Margaree Environmental Association(MEA) accuses the Inverness Municipality of using bogus numbers and fear tactics of tax increases, in dismissing the proposed aquatic centre for western Cape Breton.

The MEA completed a $100,000 feasibility study in 2023, with 75% funding from the Dept of Natural Resources & Renewables, which concluded that such a facility is indeed feasible, provided that it is energy-neutral, thereby reducing the annual operating costs by $300,000 - $400,000 below those of the East Hants Aquatic Centre.

“I was both surprised and disappointed that the County disregarded the results of our feasibility study,” says Brian Peters, co-chair of MEA. “We hired one of the top engineering firms in the province to conduct the energy analysis, yet the County has chosen to ignore our findings, and instead presented numbers that are nonsense, and intended to scare the public.”

Feasibility report link : https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/e62FOaSL0x

In addition, the MEA challenges the County’s capital cost figures. The County exaggerates the Municipality’s contribution to the construction of the facility. “We have said all along that a state-of-the-art aquatic centre, being energy-neutral, would cost about $30 million, with the Federal and Provincial governments contributing 90%, leaving $3 million for the county’s portion, not the $14.4 million stated by the County,” said Neal Livingston, also co-chair of MEA. “This $3 million could be significantly reduced with creative marketing, such as naming rights.”

Since completing the feasibility study in 2023, the MEA developed operating and maintenance cost estimates with professional accountants, which show Inverness County’s annual contribution to likely be in the range of $100,000 after user fees for residents and visitors, not $1 million that the County has said.

Since 2024 began, the MEA has repeatedly requested a meeting with the CEO and other Inverness County officials, to discuss the aquatic centre proposal, and the estimated development and operating costs. County officials continue to refuse to meet, and instead generated their own bogus figures in a vacuum, designed to frighten residents, by threatening increased taxes if an Aquatic Centre was built.

Public support for an aquatic centre has been overwhelming;

- Inverness County released a public survey in 2022 where an aquatic centre was the top choice of county residents.

- In 2024 Cape Breton University through their Community-Student Research Connections Program surveyed over 500 residents of Inverness County, and found that 98% believed that an aquatic centre would benefit our communities.

URL for the study; https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/uIGmsAldlU

The MEA demands that County officials meet with the MEA, and the newly formed Cape Breton West Aquatic Centre Society, to explore opportunities for funding with the Federal and Provincial governments, to develop costs that fairly represent the financial realities of the proposed Aquatic Centre, and to respect the expressed wishes of county residents.

For more information (and there is more to know about) contact:
Brian Peters MEA Co-chair 902-248-2211
Neal Livingston MEA Co-Chair 902-456-2004

Send a message to learn more

06/13/2024

https://capebretonwestaquaticcentre.ca/Get-Involved/
New website is up and running, we are looking for Volunteers to help out wherever they can to help with the project.
If anyone can help with business planning, or any other ways to help keep this project moving forward, raise your hand. I am on the board for this project, you can send me a message about helping out and what in particular if anything you may be able to help with. Thanks!!
(We have the support from the YMCA who is interested in more of the daycare, and other ideas we can use for the facility.) Ideas for Interest in the facility are also encouraged to be shared. Like a walking path indoors and out around the facility so we can use this all year round. A Sauna which can help reduce Alzheimer's and Dementia by about 60% and so much more we want all the communities involvement and in making decisions about the project!

Get Involved

06/13/2024

capebretonwestaquaticcentre.ca

New website is up and running!!

06/13/2024

We need questions from the public so we can determine concerns. We want to answer based on stage of where we are in the project.

Currently Crown land has been applied for. We are still looking for other back up options land needs to be at least 7 acres. We have promises from the federal and provincial government for the cost to build the facility, because It will be energy neutral, and because of that is where the funding is coming from. It will be the first one like it in Nova Scotia. Both the Feasibility study and website are available to be viewed on the page here.

06/13/2024

The Survey Results from 2024 !!
PDF for better viewing
fil:///C:/Users/patur/Downloads/Final%20Report_%20Community%20Survey%20on%20the%20Proposed%20Energy%20Neutral%20Aquatic%20Centre%20for%20Western%20Cape%20Breton.pdf

03/03/2024

This is the link to the feasibility study that was done for the Aquatic Centre they did for us. You can share it, Read it I believe you have to download it or just view it!

Hightail Spaces lets you send unlimited files, of any size, to anyone. Collaborate with your team and evolve your work.

03/02/2024

CBU STUDENT CONDUCTS SURVEY FOR CAPE BRETON WEST
AQUATIC CENTRE
In February, 2023, the Margaree Environmental Association released an energy-neutral
feasibility study for the Cape Breton West Aquatic Centre. The study has been favorably
received by the federal and provincial governments, and an advisory group has been working to
further awareness and enthusiasm for the project. A separate non-profit organization is currently
being registered. The Cape Breton West Aquatic Centre Society (CBWACS)
is dedicated to promoting the development of the year-round, indoor, energy-neutral, state-ofthe-art pool and recreation facility to serve all residents and visitors in western Cape Breton
Island. It will be accessible to a population base of approximately 10,000, and will be
constructed in a location central to that population. The Margarees have been identified as the
ideal area, providing the shortest average travel time for residents of the catchment area.
The desire for such a facility is driven by the awareness that Cape Breton has a higher burden of
chronic diseases compared with the rest of Atlantic Canada. Our children have little opportunity
to learn to swim. Our adult population has few options for regular exercise in the winter months.
In addition, our planet is in crisis, with the dire need to address the human impact on climate
change and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
The Cape Breton West Aquatic Centre project will address all of these problems, and more. It
will provide myriad education, health, and recreation programs, year-round. It will generate as
much energy as it consumes, with solar panels and high-efficiency equipment, thereby
significantly reducing operating costs, and it will be a model for future development. It will
provide possibilities for adding needed community services, such as a daycare, by the offering of
multi-purpose spaces and rental areas. It will attract young families to our communities and
provide employment. It will be something to be proud of, a place to have fun!
A significant development in furthering this project is that Cape Breton University has partnered
with CBWACS through their Community-Student Research Connections program to conduct a
survey to determine residents’ needs, interests, and preferences. CBU has identified a student
who is taking the lead in designing, distributing, and analyzing the survey. All interested people
are encouraged to complete this short survey. It is easy to do by using the QR code below, or by
accessing the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GMZP5SX, and it is simple to
submit. Paper copies of the survey will also be available at public locations.
Please complete and submit the survey; it only takes 7 minutes. The information will be valuable
for the Cape Breton West Aquatic Centre Society to make this needed facility a reality.

03/01/2024

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GMZP5SX

This is a survey for the new pool for Inverness County. We need as many people to fill it out as possible ( ideally at least 350 people)
The survey takes 9 minutes to fill out.
Thank you!

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.