TASHI FARMILO
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
FORT-COULONGE – A decade-long vision for a community swimming pool in the Pontiac is approaching fruition. Major developments were announced during the annual general meeting of the Pontiac Pool Committee, held at the Fort-Coulonge municipal hall, May 2.
Under the leadership of Kim Cartier- Villeneuve, former Otter Lake mayor and MRC Pontiac pro-warden, the committee has developed new architectural and engineering plans. Designed by architect Robert Magne, known for his work on Gatineau’s Olympic pool and Montreal’s Bell Centre, the facility will feature a predominantly wooden structure. The planned site for the pool is a two-acre property on Rue Proudfoot in Fort-Coulonge, adjacent to the local arena—a site acquired from the town for $1 in 2018.
Jane Toller, MRC Pontiac warden, initially spearheaded the project in 2017 before her election. “I realized this was an amenity very important for people, regardless of where they live,” Toller said. “Since 2007, there were efforts to build a pool, but they failed. I presented it to the Council of Mayors, and they agreed the time had come [to pursue this].”
The design includes a 25-meter, four-lane pool for general and competitive swimming and a warmer physiotherapy pool, both accessible by ramps. The committee estimates the construction cost at $10.6 million.
Significant financial backing has come from a $900,000 grant awarded by the province’s Ministry of Forestry, recognizing the project’s use of wood. This grant includes an immediate disbursement of $175,000, with the remainder contingent on securing an additional $8 million from the provincial recreational facility development program, PAFIRSPA.
If both grants are secured, the committee still needs to raise $2.6 million. They plan to source about $1.4 million from other grants, leaving $1.2 million for community fundraising. So far, the architectural and engineering plans have been funded by grants totaling $405,000 from regional sources. Construction is anticipated to start in 2025, provided the $8 million grant is approved by September. The goal is to open by April 2026.
Nicole Boucher-Larivière, Pontiac director for the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO), said the organization supports the project, emphasizing its potential to foster healthier lifestyles and attract healthcare professionals to the area, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.
The Piscine Pontiac Pool committee, comprising vice-president Craig Tripp, secretary Jane Kline, treasurer Mariette Philippe, and other local educational and municipal administrators, plans to kick off a community fundraising campaign if the $8 million grant is secured.
“This will be a game-changer for the region,” said Cartier-Villeneuve. “The pool will offer a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities, improving the overall health and well-being of our residents,” she concluded.
Photo – A rendering of the proposed design for the Pontiac pool. (Credit: Piscine Pontiac)