City Council is recommending that the Thames Park Pool be decommissioned and replaced with a splash pad due to structural damages occurring last summer.  

The Thames Pool Facility, which was originally built in 1927, sees roughly 25,000 visitors each year, roughly 30 per cent of all outdoor pool visits in the London. It is also the only 50-metre outdoor pool in London.  The pool services the Old South Community, the Downtown London Community and the aquatic community in London.  The Thames Park Pool is also the host of the Dr. Paul Hauch Swim meet which brings hundreds of visitors to the City as one of the only outdoor competitive swim meets in Ontario.  

The recommendation to decommission the pool will reach the Community and Protective Services Committee on March 21, and council for a final decision on April 4.  Therefore we need to ensure our voice is heard immediately that the London aquatic community, the downtown community and the Old South community value this facility and that the City of London needs to reinvest into ensure the long term viability of this historical and community asset.  The communities affected cannot afford to lose one of the only 50m outdoor pools in all of Ontario.  Our communities fought hard to ensure this didn't happen over a decade ago and we cannot let this facility attempted to be taken away again.

Please sign this petition in support of any of the first 4 options to save this facility.

The Five Options being considered are:

1) The pool given the minimum amount of repairs possible to make it safe for use, which would be a short-term solution that would quickly bear fruit.

2) Extensive repairs costing roughly $600,000 that would also be considered a short-term solution

3) A full rehabilitation of the site around the pool, offering long-term solutions, but costing the city roughly $4,000,000 over one year.

4) A complete rebuild of the pool, amounting to roughly $12,000,000 and 16 months of work.

5) Which the report recommends councillors accept — is to decommission the pool, explore future opportunities, and possibly plan for a 50-meter indoor pool at a future community centre.