Provincial Awards

Sam Lindsay Aquatic Centre
District of Kitimat

When you have one aquatic facility serving the needs of a community you have to be proactive and diligent in ensuring it remains operational and able to meet the changing needs and demands of its users. In 1985 Kitimat City Council was advised that the then Sam Lindsay Memorial Pool was going to need major renovations by the year 2000, and thus began the journey to renovate and revitalize this much loved and used facility.

From 1985 to 2007 studies were completed on costs and grants were applied for. Ground broke on the project in June 2007 and doors officially reopened April 4, 2009.

Public consultation meetings were held throughout 2004. Priority was placed on creating a facility that is accessible to all ages from preschoolers to seniors and those with disabilities. Must have design features included family/disabled change rooms, zero entry, a kids spray park, a waterslide and pools with warmer temperatures for seniors and rehabilitation purposes.

Municipal sustainability priorities included an ice plant heat recovery system, low flow showers and toilets, a Hi/Low Thermostatic Mixing Valve for the shower water temperature and Reverse Flow Heat Recovery, as well as energy wise lighting, pumps and electrical systems. All these priorities were incorporated into the overall budget and final design. They have resulted in a net annual savings of $68,000 on energy costs for the District with a simple payback of 7.5 years. The District is also able to reduce its CO2 equivalents emissions by 74% and its water consumption has been cut by 1.4 million litres per year.

The Centre now has an additional 6,300 square feet of pool space with new and redesigned elements that include a new public viewing area, a leisure pool with spray park, lazy river, waterslide, handicapped accessible pools, and five new family change rooms.

The facility serves the entire community of Kitimat covering the spectrum from the very young to the very old, the able bodied to those with disabilities. Users come from as far away as Prince Rupert and Smithers, making it a regional destination for communities throughout the Northwest. In addition to serving as a leisure recreation facility, the Aquatic Centre is also used by the Kitimat General Hospital’s Rehabilitation Department as part of their rehabilitation programs.

The Sam Lindsay Aquatic Centre is serving the needs of its immediate, as well as surrounding communities. Its innovation and architectural integrity serves as a template for what a small community can accomplish while leading the way on green initiatives. For this the BCRPA awards the District of Kitimat with a Facility Excellence Award.