Council considered several options in selecting a design to replace the existing pool and consulted with Western Recreation & Development Inc. Many features were reused including the dressing room and office building. The budget was set at $2,200,000.
The Local Improvement District to be taxed was all properties including otherwise exempt properties within the Municipality of Deloraine-Winchester.
At the time of application, to borrow from the Manitoba Municipal Board, the estimated cost was $2.2 million. The total cost of the pool project was actually $1,773,278. That works out to $426,722 well under the proposed cost.
“We transferred $13,278.02 to operating expenses so that the pool budget would come in at $1,760.000, the amount authorized by the Municipal Board,” said Pamela Hainsworth, CAO Municipality of Deloraine-Winchester.
Those amounts were offset with $425,000 from gas tax reserves; $300,000 from Building Sustainable Communities grant; $100,000 from Tundra Oil & Gas; $12,991.79 from Farmers Business Network; $79,728 Ground Up proceeds; $294,198.53 over three years from half section fundraising proceeds; $20,000 from the Penny Pincher fundraisers; and $138,936.68 from other fundraising/donations.
This left a balance of $389,145 to levy per parcel, which calculated to $166.59 per parcel. Property owners who did not elect to prepay will be charged a rate of 4.3% over five years or $37.74 per year, far less from the projected $673.81.
Hainsworth added the paperwork for the borrowing is still being fine-tuned but the rate has been accepted by council.
At the time of application 2,336 parcels were assessed at $673.81 parcel with cash option and by January 2024 the amount was reduced to $444.23 and as of November 2024, it further reduced to $166.59 as a final amount.
“The net amount to be borrowed is $198,408.23, which means 1,139 property owners have prepaid. That’s huge,” says Hainsworth.
“It is impossible to thank everyone personally that attended events, made desserts, bought hot dogs, organized fundraisers, kids selling lemonade and vegetables, to name a few. It all made a huge difference in the end result.”
There was one volunteer who made an exceptional contribution and that is Councillor Jerry Redden who set aside his personal projects to make overseeing this community project a priority.
“I’ve just never seen a project of this magnitude generate such a wealth of support,” said Hainsworth.
Tundra Oil & Gas Aquatic Centre in Deloraine opened July 23, 2024.
by JUDY WELLS Recorder staff