The Piscine Pontiac Pool committee held its annual general meeting (AGM) on May 10 to discuss the group’s affairs since its last AGM in September 2019.

Among the topics discussed during the virtual Zoom meeting were the group’s pursuit of . . .

non-profit organization status, its attempts to get the project largely funded through provincial aid and the election of new board administrators.

The project, which was initially thought up by MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller prior to her election campaign in 2017, is a proposal to build a recreational facility in Fort Coulonge on 45 rue Proudfoot which would contain a laned swimming pool, a therapy pool and other fitness amenities.

Following the committee’s last AGM in 2019, an application was submitted to Loisir Sport, a provincial government branch emphasized on sports and recreation, seeking roughly $7.6 million out of the project’s previous total cost estimate of $11.4 million, according to committee president Todd Hoffman. After the program took nearly a year to get back to the pool committee and inform them that the project was a strong candidate, but was not approved, the committee reevaluated the project to cut down on the $11.4 million total project cost.

A new amount of between roughly $5.5 million was determined with the help of the committee’s hired architect, Hoffman explained, and so the committee is moving forward with the hope that the reduced price tag of the pool plan will increase its likelihood of receiving funding.

With the reduced cost came a planned size reduction to the facility, but it was explained during the meeting that it wouldn’t jeopardize the integrity of the facility’s core swimming area.

Following the meeting, Toller explained to The Equity that while she isn’t a member of the committee, she is still very much engaged and interested with the project’s process. However, during the meeting she declared that she was a “member at large.”

She said that the facility would be named the Pontiac Aquagym once realized, and she added that instead of mainly targeting government sources for funding, the committee would now shift its focus onto gathering aid from corporate sources as well as through community fundraising, while still continuing to apply to government programs.

Among the other things the committee accomplished since 2019 was the completion of a support survey which included 2,000 respondents in the MRC Pontiac and the Municipality of Pontiac, phase one of an environmental assessment done, the commissioning of architecture drawings, the reception of a FARR grant from the MRC and taking part in seven private board meetings.

During the election of board administrators, the following members were nominated to various positions: Hoffman to stay on as president, new member Sebastien Bonnerot as vice-president, Sally Keindl to stay on as secretary and Jenna Keindl to continue as treasurer.

Among the members present at the meeting were new members Christine Francoeur, Hoffman, Bonnerot, Lorianne Bertrand, Kim-Cartier Villeneuve, and Sally and Jenna Keindl.

Francoeur will be replacing former member Lise A. Romain while Bonnerot will be stepping in for Claudette Stanton. Member Joan Dubeau continues to be a member of the committee, but was ill and unable to attend Monday’s AGM. ESSC Principal Julie Martin also continues to be a member, but was absent during the meeting.

Toller was also present at the meeting, along with one other member of the public.

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