L) 10 AQUATIC CENTRE OPENING, January 10, 1990 Years of hard work pay off By CasNews Staff Ron Ross's years of involvement in making the Castlegar and District Aquatic Centre a reality cannot be explained by any “Ob- vious self-interest. “I confess, I don’t really like swimming in a pool,’’ the quiet president of the Castlegar and District Projects Society and chairman of the aquatic centre building committee says. _Ross says he’s spent the better part of the last decade bringing the pool from concept to concrete building because of his work with the Rotary Club and his enjoyment in working with people — in the club, in the society and on the committee. He credits his wife Elaine with sparking the idea of the aquatic Centre when his family moved to Castlegar in 1975 and she noted the community was without an indoor pool. Some time later he’ began his work on the pool when, during a community meeting, ‘‘I must have By CLAUDETTESANDECKI Staff Writer Don’t panic — the new Aquatic Centre will be here for a long time, Castlegar Community Complex recreation coordinators Verona Walker and Susan Campbell say. The two coordinators hope area residents heed that message Jan. 15 when registration begins for swimming lessons and programs at the new pool. All swimming programs will continue throughout the year so if someone is unable to register for lessons this month they can join the waiting list and take the classes a month or two later, Walker said. “Five weeks (the length of most of the t vice-a-week sessions) goes RON ROSS ... enjoys people stuck my head up and said we needed an aquatic centre,’’ Ross says. Ross maintains there have beerk~ no personal sacrifices over the Many programs offered by quickly,’’ she said. The coordinators say they don’t know how many people they will be expected to accommodate when registration begins. Nor do they know if the programs and schedules that have been drawn up will be exactly what the community wants. “We're dealing with a lot of unknowns,"’ Walker said. About three months will be needed for people to get into routines at the Aquatic Centre and for staff to determine which programs should be expanded and which, if any, should be scrapped, she said. An interim schedule is currently in place until registration begins. Opening continued from page D2 Nu-Tech Construction of Castlegar comes in lowest with a bid of $1,764,553, which is $33,000 less than its nearest com- v4 years ‘amd he has thoroughly en- joyed the work — particularly the feeling of satisfaction at seeing the actual building go up. But there have been some changes to his personal life. For in- stance, Ross has given up playing gentlemen’s hockey. “There are probably a few people happy about thai,’’ he says with a laugh. Ross says his family has always supported his work on the pool but it’s his wife who has helped him the most. “‘She’s probably done a good deal of what I get credit for,’ says Ross, who was voted citizen of the year last spring by the Kiwanis Club. Although he spends a lot of time on the pool, Ross says he does almost as much work with the Rotary Club on its student ex- change program. And.when he has time between his extracurricular activities, he runs his electrical con- tracting company, Emco Engineering Ltd. The pool is scheduled to be in con- stant use with public, adult and children’s swims. The children’s swimming lessons include three levels — for babies and toddlers accompanied by parents as well as two levels that are equivalent to the first two levels of the Red Cross badge courses the pool will also Red Cross coursd can’t be taken until children are six years old, Walker said in explaining why the levels were made equivalent. There will be classes in pool fit- ness — called aqua fit — and aqua- fit classes for those who suffer from arthritis. And each month there will be a public swim with-a theme, such as on Valentine’s Day. Like a mini-thunder storm, the ozonator zaps the alrwith 15,000 volts of electricity to produce ozone to disinfect the pool’s water and reduce the use of chlorine. Ozonator reduces use of chlorine By CasNews Staff Ever wonder why the air smells so fresh right after a thunder storm? Or why the burning heat of the sun doesn’t burn us earthlings toacrisp? I The answer is the same one ex- plaining why swimmers at the Castlegar and District Aquatic Centre won’t smell of chlorine, or have sore eyes and bleached hair. The answer is ozone. Yes, the very same gas made naturally in the atmosphere — the one protecting us from the harmful rays of the sun and the one we've heard so much about recently because of its reported depletion. While there may be some lack of ozone in the atmosphere, the Aquatic Centre staff can make as much of the stuff as they need with a high-tech gadget called an ozonator, located in the pool’s maintenance room. It works like a mini-thunder Storm producing ozone by passing 15,000 volts of electricity through the air, changing it into ozone then introduced to the gh various tanks and Since ozone has at least 30 times the disinfectant capabilities of chlorine without the latter's side effects, swimming pools have been quick to use the technology. But it doesn’t come cheaply. The average price tag for an ozonator is $80,000, said Don Calver of Ideal Distributors, the Vancouver com- pany that installed the device at the Aquatic Centre. It looks and sounds like science fiction but in fact.the machine it- self, with its flashiMg lights, tubes and drums, works on simple prin- ciples and the technology has been around some 30 years, Calver said. The Castlegar Gdonator is one of only six in the province but as technology advances, and the system becomes cheaper and smaller, the machine may become more common, Calver said. “TOBER The tiling of the pool floor is completed and the facility Sincere Congratulations . We're proud to have played a part! Telephone 545-5939 We are very, very proud to have done the ceramic tiling for this fine recreational addition to your community. 2327 6th'Ave. 365-7692 (fax) tL | Lew 6 2 8 8 0 FRED MANN MASONRY (1g 34) Lr BRICK © BLOCK Q STONE WORK 911 Kal Lake Road, Vernon, B.C. V1IT 6V4 Butler & Butler TILE SETTING {TD. Commercial & Residential Tile Setters N F pellet el Congratulations on your Grand Opening! We are proud to have supplied: Inscribed bricks, Screenprinted garments, and the Poolside awning. Donan ADVERTISING SYSTEMS AQUATIC CENTRE OPENING, January 10,1990 CIT a Basran Holdings is pleased to have done the Site Prepartion, Excavating and Backfilling for our New Aquatic Centre. Congratulations to all who helped make ita reality! * Earth Moving © Road Building * Grading * Hauling * Snow Removal BASRAN HOLDINGS 222332 Castlegar * VIN'2Y1 INLAND SPRAY ON inc INSULATION SYSTEMS 765-3536 iw #7 - 3015 SEXSMITH ROAD @ KELOWNA, B.C. VIV 1L2 Congratulations You have a Facility to be proud of ! The Power Behind The eroiee Congratulations from enters the final stages of construction. We extend best wishes and 2 NOVEMBER thousands of hours of happy use fo all who enjoy this new Castlegar Aquatic Centre. SS of the community,”’ said Premier Bill Vander Zalm in a — petitor RTEC prepared statement sent to the sod turning ceremony M4 AR . EC} I SYSTEMS MARIO DIBELLA MARCH The Aquatic Centre building ,committee votes Celgar Pulp Co. donates $50,000 to pay for the facility’s unanimously in favor of Nu-Tech to build the pool. The The Castlegar and District Recreation Commission whirlpool decision goes to the Regional District of Central Kootenay begins hiring staff such as lifeguards, concession workers and 1989 board of directors for the finial decision. administrative personnel for the facility. JANUARY APRIL The RDCK board awards the contract to Nu-Tech. The Projects Society es a fundraiser which allows Construction of the Aqaati¢ Centre begins. people to buy an inscribed brick for $35 that will become part AUGUST ofthe selene The facility gradually takes shape and is progressing on time and on budget ‘Things are almost going too well,” says Ron Ross. CASTLEGAR ses-2118 1700 WOODLAND ORE (NELSON saa-seaz (80x 3603, CASTLEGAR B.C. VIN ane Fax se82108 COMMERCIA. 8 NOUSTRUAL © GOVERNMENT CERTIFIED “A” LICENCE DECEMBER Construction is completed on time and on budget. Aquatic Centre staff prepare for a grand opening in new year. 615 Dougall Road South Kelowne B.C. VIX 3K2 © (604) 765-5000 JANUARY The new Aquatic Centre opens to the public for the first time Jan. 2. The gala grand opening is held on Jan. 6. FEBRUARY Seven companies bid for the right to build the facility