Regarding:

Jimmy Thompson Memorial Pool (Originally the Municipal Pool)
1099 King St. East @ Balsam Avenue North
Hamilton, ON Canada

Built for the 1930 British Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games), and the last remaining structure from this historic sports district, built for those games.

Civic (Ivor Wynne) Stadium is now gone, and Prince of Whales School (which housed the athletes), was recently replaced.

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The daughters of the late swimming and local legend, Jimmy Thompson, expressed a desire to save the old Municipal pool named in their father's honor after his death.

During Phase 1 and 2 of our community engagement sessions revolving around the planning of the new Stadium District, the demolition of the historic pool built in 1928 and the only remaining piece of architecture left in this storied professional and amateur sporting district, has been quietly passed off as a mere formality with typical responses such as 'it's not accessible', used to justify the demise of this cherished landmark.

We all want what is best for our city and recognize the need to service all citizens. A seniors centre has also been a long standing desire but what is the cost of making this existing, well-kept pool that had a half-million in code upgrades done in 2004-2005, accessible? 

Once again, our cities wonderful history is facing an unkonwn fate and little discussion has been had about what otherwise seems, the sites quiet demise or a future with little to know community input.

The purpose of this petition is to ensure awareness is raised among citizens, historians, and those who utilize this pool or would utilize it if they realized the gem we have before us, about what's at stake and what the real numbers are with regards to saving and ensuring a broader use of this beautiful structure.

By signing this document you are asking our leaders to look at all options, providing us with all costs both socially and financially that would be associated with saving our built history, and allowing us to decide whether or not it's in our communities best interest to preserve and highlight our past to those (both near and far) that visit our future Stadium District.

If we don't speak up, Jimmy's and what's left of the British Empire Games legacy, will fall quietly into the night.