Alberni Valley Aquatics Outreach

The ACRD is conducting the Alberni Valley Aquatics Outreach. We want to invite you to Dive into the Future and provide input on future visioning, financing, and governance options as they explore the feasibility of a replacement for our aging Echo Aquatic Centre (Echo Pool).

The Aquatic Feasibility Study is to provide future development, financing, and governance guidance and planning for the replacement of the current Echo Pool located at 4255 Wallace St., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 3Y6.

The current facility is owned and operated solely by the City of Port Alberni; however, Echo Pool operations directly benefit Area B (Beaufort), Area D (Sproat Lake), Area E (Beaver Creek), Area F (Cherry Creek), the City of Port Alberni, Tseshaht First Nation, and Hupačasath First Nation.

The Aquatic Feasibility Study will be overseen by an advisory committee comprised of ACRD elected officials, City of Port Alberni elected officials, First Nations representatives, members of the public from each Alberni Valley Electoral area and supported by ACRD and CPA staff.

First SURVEY (Complete) - The purpose of this survey was to help us better understand community needs and for you to share your ideas. We had more than 1,200 responses, so thank you for that valuable information.

Second SURVEY (Closed): This phase will walk you through options for building design and elements to add to your design. It will share high level costs and will provide you with household cost estimates based on the facility you designed.

DEADLINE EXTENDED until Friday, December 8!

This is an opportunity for you to make important contributions within your community so please Dive into the Future and help shape aquatics in the Alberni Valley!

Survey #2 (Closed): Dive Into the Future (ethelo.net)

ASK US A QUESTION - If you have any questions please ask us and we will answer shortly. Questions and answers will be posted publicly unless you specify that you do not wish for your question to be posted publicly.

SHARE YOUR IDEAS - Imagine a room filled with people adding great ideas on a wall and sticking little hearts to other people's ideas when they like it. The Idea tool below does the same on an online space. Use this brainstorming space to share with your community your best ideas!

PROJECT TIMELINE

PHASE ONE: Needs and Benefits Assessment - April to August 2023 - COMPLETE

This opening phase is all about opening the discussion … don’t worry, there are no decisions being made in Phase One. We talked about the community’s current aquatic uses and perceived future needs. Our team summarized what we heard, did some technical research and reported back to you through several platforms. We also engaged residents across all communities of the Alberni Valley through public surveys, workshops, and open houses.

Want to have your say? More than 1,200 people filled out our first survey.

Want to share ideas in person? Our open houses took place in May and June 2023.

Have a team, club, or interest group that would like to talk Alberni Valley Aquatics? Sign-up for your own small group discussion by emailing: aquatics@acrd.bc.ca

Dive in and stay connected by signing up for our email updates. Not only will you receive all the latest information, you will automatically be entered to win prizes with every round of public engagement.

PHASE TWO: Outreach on Options - September 2023 to February 2024 - WE ARE HERE

Drawing on what we heard from the first round of community engagement and our technical research, a short list of conceptual design options for a new aquatic centre will be created. These options will be complemented by discussion forums around financial, governance, and service delivery options.

We want to discuss what aquatic centre options could meet our future needs, and more importantly, we want to ensure we all understand the associated financial costs and service delivery models.

Feedback received from Phase Two of public discussion will be used to create a comprehensive Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study Report that is true to the community’s desires. This report will provide the community's preferred option for the future of aquatics and recommended next steps for consideration by various elected bodies within the Alberni Valley, including but not limited to the ACRD Board, the City of Port Alberni Council, Tseshaht Council, and Hupačasath Council.

Decisions on what, if anything, to advance in Phase Three of this process may be made by elected bodies at the end of Phase Two.

Have a team, club, or interest group that would like to talk Alberni Valley Aquatics? Sign-up for your own small group discussion by emailing: aquatics@acrd.bc.ca

Public engagement actions in Phase Two include:

• Community Survey CLOSED!
• Open House Discussions - Echo Centre Dogwood Room November 29 - Complete
• Small group discussions - email us now and we'll come talk to you and your group - aquatics@acrd.bc.ca

PHASE THREE: OPTIONAL – Advancing a preferred Vision - March 2024 to January 2025

Any steps identified for Phase Three will depend on the decisions of elected bodies that come from the final report delivered at the end of Phase Two. These decisions could include creating a regional aquatics service or the development of a function for financing a new facility. Any of the actions taken in this Phase will legally require actions that include public outreach, the development of a clear service bylaw, as well as a public assent process (e.g. a public referendum).