Châteauguay : work begins on indoor aquatic complex

Work on the Châteauguay indoor aquatic complex was officially launched on June 17 at the Châteauguay Sportplex. Built at a cost of $31 million, the facility is scheduled to be ready for swimming by the autumn of 2025.

Translation Amanda Bennett

It was a “very exciting” day for the Régie Beau-Château, which has spent the last five years working to bring this new indoor pool project to fruition in Châteauguay. The City of Châteauguay and the Régie have had the project on the drawing board since 2016, but have had their share of pitfalls.

The aquatic complex will be attached to the existing Sportplex on Brisebois Boulevard. Its two floors will feature a 10-lane, 25 metres by 25-metre indoor pool with depths ranging from 1.1 m to 3.8 m, 2 one-metre diving boards and a water play area that will be one of a kind in Quebec, according to Régie Beau-Châteauguay Director Joëlle Éthier. Two large water slides, water games and a paddling pool with a beach are planned for this area.

Ms. Ethier explained that a tour of aquatic complexes with the Lifesaving Society was undertaken to ensure that the project would benefit from others’ positive and negative experiences. “We also worked with Quebec’s aquatic sports federations to ensure we deliver a complex that will be well thought out and meet everyone’s needs.”

The Quebec Minister responsible for Families, Suzanne Roy, who attended the press conference, called the project “one of the largest aquatic complex projects in Quebec”.

A 31 Million Dollar project

The total cost of the project is estimated at $31 million. The Régie has received grants of $7 million from the federal government and $11.2 million from the provincial government via the Programme d'aide financière aux infrastructures récréatives et sportives (PAFIRS). An initial joint grant of $14 million was announced for 2021, but construction costs have since soared. The Quebec government has agreed to increase its subsidy.

That makes all the difference in the world when it comes to completing the project,” acknowledged Châteauguay Mayor Eric Allard. We’re really very happy to have the governments’ participation because [it won’t be] a very big burden on the citizens’ shoulders.”

“Being from here, having gone to the Polydium when I was young, with my children too, it made perfect sense to go and get additional funding,” mentioned Marie-Belle Gendron, MNA representing Châteauguay.

At the press conference, she recalled the moment she learned that it was the end for the old Polydium pool. “One day, Eric [Allard] called me and said: I think we’re going to have to demolish the Polydium. It wasn’t a good day for me, for him or for anyone here in Châteauguay,” she confided.

(Photo : Le Soleil - Valérie Lessard)

On the federal side, Brenda Shanahan, MP representing Châteauguay-Lacolle, said she had worked to keep the grant, despite the deadlines having been extended. “The federal government, we work behind the scenes. I didn’t do all the digging. It’s really up to the local authorities to do that work, and we’re still counting on collaboration with the provincial government,” she mentioned.

The construction contract was awarded to the Lambda-Lainco consortium, which also built the Sportplex. The existing Sportplex parking lot will be expanded to accommodate more users. Eventually, the indoor aquatic complex will be able to accommodate 500 people in addition to the Sportplex’s 500-person capacity.

The City of Châteauguay aims to become a regional sports hub with these two facilities, and will be approaching neighbouring municipalities to sign intermunicipal agreements so that their citizens can also benefit from the aquatic infrastructures. The mayor indicated, however, that discussions on this subject have not yet begun.

Until the pool is available in Châteauguay, Châteauguay residents can take a dip at the Saint-Constant aquatic complex at a preferential rate, thanks to an intermunicipal agreement.