MOUNT FOREST – The Mount Forest Lions Club is donating $250,000 over five years to the construction of a new outdoor pool in the community.
Wellington North officials say a cheque was presented to the Mount Forest aquatics ad-hoc advisory committee on June 26.
“We are extremely grateful and appreciative of the [club’s] support of the new [pool],” stated councillor and committee chair Sherry Burke in a June 28 township press release.
“The Lions are tremendous supporters of our community, and for them to contribute this significant amount of money to the new pool is amazing.”
Lion Vern Job said the club has “a long history of supporting pools” in Mount Forest, noting it built the community’s first pool in 1948.
“The Lions believe in making the community a better place, and Mount Forest is a better place with an outdoor pool,” Job stated in the release.
“We’re excited that a new pool will be constructed in Mount Forest, and the Lions are proud to support this worthwhile project.”
Talk of a new outdoor pool in Mount Forest to replace the Lion Roy Grant pool, which closed in 2022 due to its poor condition, has been ongoing since at least 2016.
The township’s 2018 recreation plan recommended replacement, and in 2019 a location beside the Mount Forest and District Sports Complex was approved by council.
The cost for the pool has risen since then to the latest estimate of $5.5 million.
That does not include pool accessories, equipment, first aid and rescue equipment, a security system, chemicals and staffing.
The committee has set a fundraising goal of about $2.5 million.
“Once 80 per cent of the fundraising target has been met, next steps in the construction of the new outdoor pool will begin,” states the township’s June 28 press release.
